The novel coronavirus outbreak had greatly affected life in India. There have been over 20,400 cases recorded so far and according to data provided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 652 people have died.
Maharashtra, as per the number of cases is the worst affected area, with over 5200 people having tested positive so far. Within the state, a large majority of the cases have been from Mumbai.
As of Wednesday afternoon, over 3,450 cases have been detected in the city. And while this seems like a high number, according to a report by The Hindu, it might soon multiply manifold. According to a five-member team from the Centre, the number can rise to an estimated 42,604 by the end of April, and can go up to 6,56,407 by May 15.
The data had reportedly caught the state government off guard, and they have since contested the methodology and tools used to arrive at these figures. Countering this, the Maharashtra government too made a presentation pointing out data discrepancies. However, the state has not entirely dismissed the data, and is reportedly structuring its response to the viral outbreak keeping the numbers in mind.
The Hindu reported that this was based on mathematical modelling for Mumbai by the Union Ministry of Health on April 16, projecting that the city would face a massive shortage of both equipment and hospital beds – by about 13,636 ventilators and 4,83,000 isolation beds.
As per the report, areas including Dharavi, Worli-Mahalaxmi, Matunga/Sion, Parel, Andheri West, Govandi-Mankhurd, Nagpada and Byculla will be the worst affected.
On Tuesday, a five-member Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) had arrived in Maharashtra to assess the situation pertaining to COVID-19 management and the lockdown. While one group led by Additional Secretary, Food Processing Industries, Manoj Joshi visited Mumbai's Kasturba Hospital the other group led by Additional Secretary, Power, Sanjay Malhotra is in Pune which has the second highest number of Covid-19 patients in the country.
In keeping with the committee's directives, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has been asked to arrange for more beds and increase testing across Mumbai, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said, adding that tents can also be put up in open grounds if needed.
According to an IANS report from Tuesday, over 99,500 people are in home quarantine, as well as nearly 8,000 people who are staying under institutional quarantine. The number of people in the state's containment zones has risen to 432. As many as 6,611 surveillance squads have fanned out to survey a population of nearly 2.70 million around the state.
(With inputs from agencies)
