There has been a drop in the number for Covid-19 testing across Mumbai in the last seven days. According to the statistics, BMC had conducted 2,18,179 Covid-19 testing between April 26 and May 2, which means an average of 31,168 testing daily as compared to 50,000 tests which were done in the first 15days of April. After this, there has been a constant drop in testing. On May 2, only 28,636 Covid tests were done in a single day.
Civic officials attributed this drop to the strict restrictions due to which all shopping malls, restaurants and other places are closed. However, the civic body believes testing might have reduced due to the drop in demand for home collection of swabs by citizens in the last few days.
Suresh Kakani, Additional Municipal Commissioner, said the number of testing had started to reduce since mid-April when the state government had imposed strict restrictions. However they expect the testing will increase in the coming days.
“Testings have reduced as all the shops, restaurants are shut due to which flow citizens are reduced leading to decrease in the number of Covid testing. However the ratio of Covid testing is 67:33, which 67 per cent of RT-PCR and 33 per cent is Rapid Antigen Test, while the RAT has been reduced by 7 per cent amid restrictions in the city,” he said.
Meanwhile, BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal has urged Mumbaikars to come forward and get their Covid-19 test done so that they can "flush out coronavirus from Mumbai's environment". Moreover, the civic chief agreed that the Covid-19 tests have been reduced in the city as the natural demand for home collection of swabs from our citizens has reduced in the last few days.
"Our aggressive testing policy has resulted in reduction of the positivity rate. This might have reduced the natural demand for home collection of swabs by our citizens in the last few days. It has been observed that the testing figures have fallen in the last few days from 50,000 + to 38000 day ago and 28,000 yesterday. It’s likely to fall further during weekends. We need to increase the testing to 40,000 per day, at least, if not more. May I request you to appeal to our eminent citizens to come forward & test themselves to increase Covid testing to the maximum possible level,” said Chahal.
Dr Shashank Joshi, member of the state covid-19 task force said during the first wave, Mumbai used to hardly conduct 15,000 to 18,000 tests. However, during the second wave, the test numbers range between 40,000 and 50,000. Mumbai has passed the peak as cases are plateauing, but the plateau could be longer.
“The second wave the country is facing is "more furious" than expected, which has been the trend worldwide, and appealed to people to adhere to COVID-19 norms strictly even after current restrictions in the state are relaxed. People must follow COVID appropriate behaviour and stressed the need to continue masking policy, zero tolerance for violators of norms etc even after the numbers dip, as "we cannot say the worst is over," he said.