Mumbai: Five days after the death of a 28-year-old pregnant woman due to Covid-19 in Kandivali's Lalji Pada area triggered panic amongst the residents who attended her funeral, the BMC conducted mass screening and fever camps for people of the area. Of the 111 people screened on July 25, three tested positive in the area, none from the building the deceased lived in, BMC officials said.
Meanwhile, the family of the woman has alleged negligence on the part of RN Cooper Hospital, where the woman was admitted, for failing to inform them about the coronavirus test results on time.
The 28-year-old woman had come to stay with her parents at Jay Bharat SRA complex at Laljipada in Kandivali (west). On July 18 she complained of fever and body pain following which she was shifted to RN Cooper hospital, following which she died on July 20. "Despite her swabs being collected, the hospital handed over the body of the woman to her family, not waiting for the test results to arrive. The family performed all the last rites and the funeral on July 21, which was attended by many from their building and even a few relatives were present. It was only four days later, we got to know that the woman was tested positive for Covid-19 and we informed her family," said a senior BMC official.
Rumour started spreading across the area that the funeral was attended by more than 200 people. "We cannot comment on whether 200 to 300 people attended the funeral. To clear the doubt and panic among the residents of Laljipada, we have organised fever camps. On July 25, we screened 111 people of which a few showed symptoms, results of three people turned out to be positive. None of the residents of Jay Bharat building has tested positive," Sanjay Kurhade, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of R (South) ward (Kandivali) told the Free Press Journal.
As on July 25, R South ward has registered a total 4780 Covid-19 cases including 143 deaths. The ward has a total of 1497 active cases, while 3140 people have been cured and discharged. "In the last 10 to 15 days nearly 85% of cases that have been recorded are from non-slum areas and affluent societies. Cases in slum areas are coming down gradually," Kurhade added.
