In order to control the possibility of the third wave of COVID-19, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) is stressing on testing. The civic body conducted over two lakhs COVID tests during July and so far, over 90% population of the city has already been tested.
As testing is the only way to gauge the spread of the viruses, as part of the preparation, NMMC has been conducting tests as much as possible. Apart from the hotspot areas, the civic body’s testing team is concentrating at crowded areas like APMC, railway stations, etc.
According to the data shared by the civic health department, the civic body conducted a total of 2,16,411 tests of which 1,63,504 tests were antigen and the remaining were RT-PCR in July. “We have conducted an average of 7,000 tests per day during the month,” said a senior official from the civic health department.
The official added that Navi Mumbai is the most COVID testing corporation in the state with a population of more than 13,93,000 out of a population of about 15 lakhs have already been tested.
“Considering the situation of COVID in many countries, according to health experts, possibility of the third wave of Covid, NMMC is emphasizing implementing effective measures to prolong it as much as possible,” said the official, adding that delaying the third wave of Covid will give more time to protect citizens with vaccination as well as an increase in the health facilities.
For the last month, the civic body has already emphasized targeted testing following orders from civic chief Abhijeet Bangar. Even a single case is detected in a building, the civic body tests everyone in the building.
Even if the number of daily COVID patients decreases, the civic body is stressing on following COVID norms and has allowed limited services to open. “Due to such planned steps and with the good cooperation of the citizens of Navi Mumbai, it is seen that it is succeeding in reducing the growth rate of corona in Navi Mumbai,” said the official.
