Swapnil Mishra
swapnil.mishra@fpj.co.in
After a brief spike in Covid-19 infections in the first week of October, the number of active cases in Mumbai dropped by 14.42 per cent in the last seven days. There were 5,317 active cases on October 14, which dropped to 4,550 by October 20.
Civic officials say that a significant factor in the improved recovery rates is that now the treatment protocol is better defined than the uncertainty that prevailed in the initial stages of the outbreak.
Moreover, 97 per cent of the eligible population has been partially vaccinated. The spread of the virus has been controlled, and most of them have developed antibodies, according to the recent survey conducted by the civic body.
Active cases are the difference between the total number of cases and the number of recoveries and deaths. “There has been a relative fall in the rate of new infections in the last two weeks, with recoveries outnumbering new infections in the city between October 14 and October 20,” said a health official.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani said the decline in active cases indicated a drop in Covid-19 cases. “The reduction in active cases indicates that we have been able to contain the pandemic. We have been able to bring down the numbers due ramping of tests, quick isolation of patients, as well as timely medication,” he said.
Senior health officials from the civic health department said they see the thick tail of the second wave, which was prolonged for a very long time. The history of the pandemic shows we will be getting multiple waves, but the severity will all depend on the citizens’ behaviour and the government. “While citizens have to adopt Covid-appropriate behaviour, the government has to ramp up all the medical infrastructure in anticipation of the future waves,” he said.
Meanwhile, though the civic body has yielded promising results in controlling the number of active cases in the state, they will not compromise on Covid care facilities and safety measures. “We will maintain the same level of preparedness as before. The same level of oxygen supply, bed capacity, medicines and medical staff will be made available. The city needs to be prepared for any surge in cases in the future. Moreover, there are ups and downs in the daily cases compared to the cases reported in the last four months,” added the official.
The drop in active cases has been reported when the state is predicting another wave in July. “We have been augmenting our health infrastructure. The current dip has helped ease the burden on the health machinery,” the official said.
Meanwhile, health experts attributed this to a better recovery rate in the city and reconciliation of cases, which had increased in the past. “The city’s recovery rate is 97%, which is better than other states in the country. Also, mobility has increased, and transmission of the virus has dropped. This is a good sign, but this has to be maintained for the next five to six months,” said a public health expert.
