Mumbai reported a 12.5 per cent drop in the number of tests conducted for Covid-19 in the last 10 days. According to its dashboard, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) conducted 3,81,407 tests between August 16 and August 25 (an average of 38,140 tests). The figure dropped to 3,33,736 tests between August 26 and September 4 (an average of 33,373 tests). BMC officials attributed this drop to fewer people coming forward to get tested.
Meanwhile, the city witnessed a surge in Covid-19 cases during the same period. “The number of tests conducted might have reduced. However, we are anticipating a third wave. Therefore, medical health officers have been directed to aggressively test suspected patients in all the wards. Testing will be increased to 55,000 ahead of the festive season,” said Suresh Kakani, additional municipal commissioner, BMC.
Dr Rahul Pandit, member of the Maharashtra COVID-19 task force, said BMC has the capacity to conduct 1 lakh tests per day. “The civic body needs to improve its testing figures soon. We will be able to prevent a third wave only if cases are diagnosed at the earliest. We have been keeping an eye on the Covid-19 graph in Mumbai. Testing has dropped, but cases have surged. This is not a good sign,” he said.