Considering the possibility of the second wave of COVID-19 coming, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has decided to conduct more than 4000 tests per day. These days will be conducted at public places like railway stations, APMC, vegetable and fruits retailers, rickshaw driver among others. Earlier, the civic body used to conduct between 2500 to 3000 tests per day.
For the last week, there has been an increasing trend of positive cases of COVID 19 and there is around a 20% rise in the active cases.
As during the festivals, people came out of their homes in large number and there were chances of the spread of viruses.
Civic chief Abhijit Bangar launched “Mission Break the Chain-2” with more testing at public places. He directed all the concerned departs to be ready to deal with the possible second wave of COVID 19.
The attention will be given on early detection by increasing the number of tests. “The target is to conduct more than 4,000 tests per day. COVID 19 testing centres are already functioning at the wholesale market and MIDC, now testing centers have been started at the railway stations from Monday,” said a senior civic official. He added that on the first day, more than 400 citizens underwent Rt-PCR tests at testing centres at Belapur, Nerul and Vashi railway stations on Monday.
The civic body has deployed health teams at the exit points of the stations and conducts COVID 19 testing of the citizens from 8 am to 1 am.
Similarly, a total of 1195 teachers had undergone for the RT-PCR testing following the decision to restart the school. A total of 17 teachers were tested positive. However, now that the school will start after December 31, tests will be conducted again at that time.
As the APMC is a high-risk area, the civic body has decided to pay attention, especially after the possibility of the second wave. “We have made affected five testing centres set up at Spice, Grain, Fruit, Vegetable and Onion-Potato Markets,” said the official.
In order to focus on patient tracing in the wake of the second wave of Covid 19, the municipal commissioner directed the concerned officials to keep track of COVID spreaders such as peddlers, grocery shopkeepers, retailers, fruit and vegetable sellers, rickshaw drivers who have public relations with many people for their business.
