The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has intensified containment measures and testing in the D ward (Nepean Sea Road, Malabar Hill, Walkeshwar) after the number of new Covid-19 cases in the D ward soared rapidly. The ward has been recording 300-400 cases daily on average, 70 per cent of these cases are being reported from the high-rises in Malabar Hill and Nana Chowk.
The ward officials have attributed the rise in the number of cases to increase testing.
D ward, which covers some of the city’s most affluent areas such as Malabar Hill, Peddar Road, Breach Candy, Cumballa Hill, Kemps Corner, Tardeo and Girgaum, is once again emerging as a cause for concern for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in the fight against Covid-19. Reason: the growth rate of cases in these areas is nearing 2 per cent, higher than the city’s average of 1.64 per cent.
D ward is the third-worst affected ward in the city with a growth rate of 1.91 per cent and the doubling rate is 37 days, lower than the city’s average of 42 days, according to the figures as of April 15.
The overall cumulative cases in the D ward are 23,957. Its active caseload stands at are 4406, mostly from high-rises. D ward stands second in the list of micro containment zones with 253 buildings in the ward sealed as micro containment zones.
Prashant Gaikwad, the assistant commissioner of the D ward, said, “It is very difficult to analyse the spread this time. It feels the spread is all over. Citizens whom we know and were very cautious and alert have tested positive for Covid-19. All we are doing is increased testing and timely treatment. Testing has been increased on a massive scale. From 400 to 500 tests conducted each day we have ramped up the testing to 1500 to 2000 per day this is excluding those testing individually on their own."
Gaikwad added, " We have five health posts in the area and on average we are getting 300 to 400 cases every day on an average. However, most of these cases to precise around 70 per cent are being reported from the Malabar hill and Nana Chowk health posts. We have even started testing employees in the housing societies in these areas such as maids, drivers even security guards. However, the majority of cases are testing positive. We are also getting a few cluster cases from the two areas.
