The new Covid-19 cases in the city are being largely reported from high-rise apartments and gated housing societies. On Friday, nine cases were reported from Vasundhara Building (near Cadbury House, Haji Ali) and earlier this week as many as 12 cases were reported from WoodLands apartment block at Kemp’s Corner, Pedder Road.
According to the BMC rules, the entire building will be sealed if more than five cases are reported from a residential tower. If less than five cases are reported, only the floors of the building would be sealed.
Assistant municipal commissioner and in-charge of D-Ward (Malabar Hill, Pedder Road, Grant Road areas) Prashant Gaikwad said that the rise in the number of cases is substantial. He told FPJ, “For every positive case, we are testing 20 close contacts; out of these, two to three are turning out to be positive.” He added that most patients have taken at least one dose of vaccine; as a result, their symptoms are not severe.
Assistant municipal commissioner and in-charge of G-South ward (Worli, Haji Ali) Sharad Ughade maintained that cases in his area are being reported from buildings. He said in his ward, an average of 20 cases are being reported daily. “However, such cluster cases are fewer in G-S ward,” he said.
According to the BMC dashboard, there are 44 sealed buildings (micro containment zones) and 1,690 sealed floors in the city. The K-West ward, which covers Andheri West and Juhu areas, has 218 buildings with sealed floors and 18 sealed buildings, which is the highest in the city. Close on the heels is R-South (Kandivali) ward with 186 buildings with sealed floors and T-Ward with 148 buildings with sealed floors. A senior official of K-W ward said that more than 80 per cent of the entire ward’s population lives in high-rises.
Additional municipal commissioner (health) Suresh Kakani said the number of scattered cases are more than cluster cases. “Unlike the earlier waves, there are less than five cases in each building, which is why the number of sealed floors is more than sealed buildings,” he said. Congress corporator from Bandra, Asif Zakaria said trend continues across the city and attributed it to people mingling more than earlier.
BJP corporator from Cuffe Parade Harshita Narwekar said the case turnout from slums is lesser because residents have already been exposed to the virus.
