Five wards show above 100-day doubling rate
The average doubling rate of coronavirus cases in five wards of the total 24 civic administrative wards in Mumbai have crossed the 100 days mark. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has claimed that with this the city has become first in the country to have the highest average doubling period of coronavirus cases.
The city’s- H-East ward (eastern part of Bandra, Khar and Santacruz) and L ward (comprising of Kurla, Sakinaka) showed a doubling rate of 165 and 108 respectively. Meanwhile, termed as the city's worst affected wards K east (Andheri (E), Vile Parle, Jogeshwari), K west ( Andheri west, Juhu) and S ward (Bhandup, Nahur) have recorded 105, 100 and 110 days of average doubling rate of covid19 infection in their jurisdiction.
Besides there are 10 wards in the city where the average doubling rate recorded is between 80 days to 95 days. Remaining nine wards have recorded average doubling rates between 48 days to 76 days each. The lowest doubling rate (48 days) in the city has been recorded at R (Central) ward ( Borivali), followed by D ward (Malabar Hill, Napean Sea Road, Grant Road) at 49 days of average doubling rate.
Doubling rates are based on seven-day moving averages and show the number of days needed for cases to double at weekly intervals. Civic officials stated that the increase in doubling rate is the indication that BMC’s strategy to control the pandemic is working at the ground level. The city's overall average doubling rate as on Wednesday stands at 80 days and the average growth rate of cases in the last seven days has been 1.06 %.
The BMC had in June launched a ‘Mission Zero rapid action plan’ and ‘Mission Universal Testing’ with the aim of increasing doubling rate to 50 days and above with the help of newly added 50 ambulance-clinics which will visit the congested areas of the city to screen slum dwellers and collect samples of those with Covid-19 symptoms. The BMC, along with the police, is also emphasising on implementation of containment zone rules in hotspots. "We have been able to achieve our target across all wards barring one or two.., which will be achieved in the next two weeks, " said a senior BMC official.