The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is gearing itself for the arrival of over 20,000 Indian citizens from the Middle East and in order to quarantine these people the civic body is planning to use buildings built for Project Affected People in Mahul and Chembur.

According to a report by Indian Express, the BMC is looking at complexes in Mahul where at least 5,00-10,000 people can be quarantined. An official told the leading daily that the buildings are yet to be finalised but the civic body has checked the condition of 30 buildings in Videocon Atithi Shelters Pvt Ltd near SG Chemicals and RNA Complex, all in Chembur and Mahul’s Eversmile Complex.

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At present, the BMC has 300 quarantine beds at Seven Hills Hospital and 160 beds at Kasturba Hospital. On Saturday, the total number of coronavirus cases in Maharashtra rose to 63, with 11 new cases detected overnight among several foreign-returned persons. While one case is from Pune, 10 are detected in Mumbai, including three who are 'first contact' afflictions with no history of foreign travel, sending alarm bells ringing among the health authorities.

With the rise in the number of confirmed cases in Maharashtra, state Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Wednesday said seven more laboratories will come up across the state for testing suspected novel coronavirus cases. Tope told reporters that soon KEM, JJ Hospital, and Haffkine Institute will get the testing facilities. Similar laboratories will come up in different parts of the state, he added.