To control the sudden spread of COVID-19 cases in the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is now trying to pinpoint the areas from where most of the cases are being reported.
Since mid-February, there has been a sudden spike in the daily active Covid-19 case tally in Mumbai, even though most of the cases are being reported from high rises and residential buildings, civic officials said there is no definite pattern behind the spread.
Suresh Kakani – additional municipal commissioner and in-charge of public health in BMC, said that presently, the spread is scattered and there is no pattern.
“Last year, cases were reported in clusters from specific areas. However, this year, the areas from which cases are reported are scattered and there is no pattern yet,” Kakani told FPJ.
“I visited some of the wards that are showing high numbers and have asked the ward levels to pinpoint some of the areas, that would help us to curb the spread to some extent,” he said. Kakani also maintained that at least 85% of the cases in Mumbai are asymptomatic.
At present, maximum cases are being reported from areas like Borivli, Andheri, Kandivli and Malad. The slum belt of Dharavi, which falls under the G North ward, has also recorded a sudden spike in the past one month.
Bhagyashree Kapse – Assistant Municipal Commissioner and in-charge of R Central ward, which covers the Borivli region of North Mumbai, said that in her ward, more than 90% of the population lives in high rises.
“The slum population is relatively low, which is why maximum cases are being reported from high rises. But there are no cluster cases. Still, we have earmarked a few areas and kept high surveillance over there,” Kapse said.
“Even though most of the cases are being reported from buildings, we have identified some of the cluster areas and have started doing door to door testing from where there is a risk of spread,” said Kiran Dighavkar – assistant municipal commissioner and in-charge of GN ward.
As per the BMC data, most of the cases are being reported from suburban belts compared to slum areas.
“The island city mainly has a floating population. So if people are positive, they register their residential address which is why case tally appears higher in suburbs,” said an health executive officer of BMC.
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