Slums sees dip as cases rise in high-rise

There’s a paradigm shift in the habitat of patients of Corona in the queen of suburbs Bandra. Up to May 31, of the total 800 patients reported in H west ward, 600 were from slums. But post Unlock 1, of the total 2,221 cases reported, 1610 are from high rises. Even the ward officer confirmed that cases are more from buildings than slums now. Medical practitioners have been informed that they need to create more awareness amongst residents. Even residents are being asked to get checked at the earliest if they show symptoms. According to the data provided by the H-west ward officers, until July 14 there have been 2,221 cases, of which active cases as of Tuesday stood at 551. However the mortality rate of this ward is 9 per cent, with 200 patients succumbing to their illnesses. To control the spread of the novel coronavirus in the ward, the Hwest ward officer along with the private medical practitioners from Bandra, Khar and Santacruz has now decided to focus on aggressive screening and checking of oxygen levels among those living in housing societies in residential neighbourhoods, something that for the last couple of months was done in the slums. “I had a zoom meeting with all the private medical practitioners of my ward urging them to take necessary care and create more awareness amongst the citizens regarding coronavirus. Medical practitioners need to follow basic protocols such as disinfecting their clinic every week, counselling of positive patients, follow ups on their health and one-to one interaction with the patients,” said Vinayak Vispute, ward officers, H-west.