With over 5,000 new Covid-19 cases, Mumbai sees biggest-ever spike in Covid-19 cases

Compounding the problems manifold, the financial capital of Mumbai and the larger Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) reported 5,000-plus Covid-19 cases for the first time on Wednesday since the outbreak of pandemic a year ago - and more than double the peak last year.

In the last 24-hours, Mumbai recorded 5,185 new Covid-19 cases and six deaths, taking the progressive figures to 3,74,611 and 11,606, respectively. The biggest slum cluster of Asia, Dharavi, reported an alarming 62 cases.

The MMR recorded 9,147 cases and 16 deaths, taking the progressive total to 8,17,212 and 20,116, respectively. The MMR comprises the twin districts of Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban and large parts of the neighbouring Thane, Palghar and Raigad districts and here the pressure on the public transportation system -- suburban trains, civic buses and state transport buses besides cabs and auto-rickshaws -- is very high.

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During the day, Maharashtra recorded 31,855 new Covid-19 cases and 95 deaths taking the progressive total to 25,64,881 and 53,684, respectively. The bulk of the cases are coming from MMR and urban centres like Pune, Nashik, Aurangabad and Nagpur.

At the weekly Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray took a comprehensive review of the situation.

In Mumbai, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has activated its jumbo field hospitals and kept them in readiness.

The Maharashtra government has ordered 50 per cent attendance in government and private offices except those in emergency, health and medical services.

Over the last fortnight, besides Mumbai and the neighbouring municipal corporations of Thane, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan Dombivli, Ulhasnagar, Bhiwandi-Nizampur, Panvel, Mira-Bhayander and Vasai-Virar have reported more cases – making the Mumbai-MMR a hotspot yet again.

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While the bed-strength increased in the MMR, in Mumbai besides the RT-PCR tests, random RATs are being done in public places, malls, railway stations and bus depots.

“More than 85 per cent of the cases in Mumbai and in the state are asymptomatic. The majority of those infected are undergoing treatment in home and are under quarantine. We have empty beds, but at the same time, the bed strength is being increased,” the state’s Public Health Minister Rajesh Tope said.

In the next two weeks’ time, the BMC plans to increase up to 20,000 beds in Dedicated Covid Hospitals (DCH) and Dedicated Covid Health Centre (DCHC) and up to 50,000 beds in Covid Care Centre 1 (CCC1) and Covid Care Centre 2 (CCC2).

As of now, the BMC has 13,002 beds in DCHs, DCHCs and jumbo field hospitals for serious, moderate and complicated cases. The state now has over 25,000 CCC2 beds. Besides, here are 1,544 ICU beds, 966 ventilator beds and 8,814 oxygen beds.

Meanwhile, the BMC has prohibited Holi celebrations. “All private and public celebration of Holika Dahan and Rang Panchami has been prohibited to ensure Covid-19 doesn’t play a spoilsport,” the BMC said. The rest of the eight MMR municipal corporations are expected to follow suit.