The COVID-19 cases in Mumbai have surged to 65,000 and the death toll is nearing the 4000-mark. It remains the worst affected city in India with the highest number COVID-19 positive cases and deaths. Meanwhile, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal spoke to The Free Press Journal about how BMC has managed to grip the virus and bring the number of cases in majority of the wards to single-digit. He also spoke about the steps being taken by the civic body to contain the spread of COVID-19 and cautioned Mumbaikars to adopt the new normal and take precautions until a vaccine is found.
Here are 10 things BMC chief revealed about Mumbai’s war against the virus:
1. From Colaba-Nariman Point to Bandra and from Vashi bridge to Chembur number of cases reported on a daily basis have come down to just 5 to 7.
2. The average growth rate of outbreak in Mumbai has come down to 2.17% from 9.5%.
3. The question of shortage of beds and people roaming from hospital to hospital looking for beds has become redundant in Mumbai.
4. Chahal said that they have formed a strategy called "Chase the patient", under which proper protocols are followed, which ensures, no patients will be left out and will get a bed if he/she needs one.
5. In the next 10 days, the city will have 300 to 500 more ICUs (intensive care units). "We are now preparing to ensure that even if we have a lakh more patients, we have the infrastructure to handle it," the BMC commissioner said.
6. There are only six to seven wards where there is a rise in the number of cases - P North(Malad), P South (Goregaon), R South (Kandivali), R North (Dahisar), K East (Andheri east) and S (Bhandup)and T (Mulund) wards.
7. About the COVID-19 deaths with comorbidities not being reported and the reconciliation exercise that took place later, Chahal said, "We decided to be transparent, when we could have kept it covered. We are not hiding anything, people must understand that."
8. Mumbai had only 371 ICU beds, until now. Now as on June 20, we have 1160 ICU beds, the number will further increase to 1660 by the end of this month.
9. The BMC commissioner said that the Mumbaikars need to adopt the new normal. They need to wear a mask every time they have to go out, wash your hands regularly or used sanitizer frequently.
10. "Maintaining physical distancing is something we need to follow religiously. All this until the vaccine comes out," Chahal said.
