Mumbai: In another indication of the flattening curve of the Covid graph and possibly marking the end of the third wave of the pandemic in the city, the last sealed building was finally unsealed on Tuesday, bringing the count of sealed buildings in the city to an eagerly anticipated ‘zero’. Taking these factors into account along with the rapidly declining number of daily Covid cases, Mayor Kishori Pednekar on Tuesday hinted that the city would be unlocked by the end of February.
The number of sealed buildings across the city stood at 17 on December 25, jumping to 88 on December 30, 2021. As the uptick in cases began, so did the number of sealed buildings. On January 1, 2022, the number of sealed buildings increased to 157, which further jumped to 389 and 462 on January 4 and January 5 respectively. From 120 on January 8, the number of sealed buildings had dropped to one, and on Tuesday, this too was freed of the tag, BMC officials said, citing these as signs of the end of the third wave.
On February 7, there were two sealed buildings left, one in M east ward (Shivaji Nagar, Mankhurd, Govandi) and another in D ward (Malabar, Nepean Sea Road, Grant Road). However, the one in M east ward was unsealed on Monday, leaving just the one in D ward, which became the last building in the city to be unsealed on Tuesday.
Mayor Pednekar emphasised the urgent need for resumption of services at full capacity and easing of curbs. Pednekar’s announcement comes a day after the city reported 356 new cases and five fatalities, the lowest daily rise in new infections after December 21, 2021, when the third wave of the pandemic started in the city. According to BMC health officials, the case positivity rate of Mumbai has dropped to 1.10 per cent.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Pednekar said: “It is good news for all. Everything must and will resume as soon as possible.” However, she cautioned Mumbaikars against lowering their guard. She said, “This doesn’t mean we should avoid Covid safety protocols and forget Covid-appropriate behaviour while we are outdoors. Wearing masks will still be important and mandatory, while maintaining physical distancing.”
There was a slight increase in the number of cases reported on Tuesday as compared to the numbers reported on Monday. The city recorded 447 cases, including one death on Tuesday, taking the cumulative Covid case count of the city to 10,52,176 and the cumulative death toll to 16,667. The number of active patients in the city is 4,738, while the recovery rate has improved to 98 per cent.
“From what we are currently seeing, we will achieve 100 percent vaccination by next week. Covid cases are declining but it is difficult to say if the third wave has ended as yet. Cases are still increasing in some other districts in the state and the influx to Mumbai from these states is still on. We still cannot afford to lower our guard,” said Additional Municipal Commissioner (Health) Suresh Kakani.
With the falling curve, the civic body had relaxed some of the restrictions earlier this month. On February 1, the Mumbai civic body had allowed all tourist locations, restaurants and theatres to operate or remain open at 50 per cent occupancy.
The BMC had issued a circular stating that beaches, gardens, parks and playgrounds would be accessible to the public once again, at their usual stipulated hours while the ban on gatherings of five or more people in public at night has been lifted. These new guidelines of the BMC will remain in force till February 28, 2022.
