E-Paper
785 Covid-19 cases in a day: New low for Mumbai
In its lowest new case count in 56 days, Mumbai reported 785 Covid-19 cases on Tuesday. The city had recorded 426 cases on May 12. The case tally is now 86,509.
In its lowest new case count in 56 days, Mumbai reported 785 Covid-19 cases on Tuesday. The city had recorded 426 cases on May 12. The case tally is now 86,509. The city, however, reported 65 deaths, taking the toll to 5,002.
The total number of discharged patients in Mumbai is 58,137, with a recovery rate of 67%. There are 23,359 active cases. The fatality rate as of Tuesday was 5.80%, followed by a doubling rate of 43 days.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s data (BMC) shows that 55% of the total 4,896 deaths until July 5 are in the 50-70 age group. Twenty per cent deaths are in the 0-50 age group, while the remaining are in the 70-100 age group. In terms of cases, 56% of the around 82,000 cases are from the 0-50 age group.
The overall deaths crossed the 500 mark on May 10, and 15 days later, it crossed 1,000. After another 17 days, it crossed the 2,000 mark on June 12. The city quickly breached the 2,500 mark on June 16, and crossed the 4,000 mark on June 25.
The data on 4,892 of the 4,896 deaths shows the highest number (1,417) is in the age group of 60-70 and 1,324 in the 50-60 age group. A total of 836 deaths are in the age group of 70 and 80, 633 between 40 and 50, 319 between 80 and 90, 227 between 30 and 40. Seventy-five deaths were reported in the 20-30 age group, 35 deaths in the 90-110 age group, 18 deaths in the 10 to 20 age group, and eight deaths in the 0-10 age group.
The highest fatality rate is in the 80-90 age group (18.90%), followed by 18.6% in the 90-100 age group, 15.1% for 70-80 age group, 12.31% for 60-70 age group, 7.96% for 50 to 60 age group, 4.10% for 40-50 age group, 1.5% for 30-40 age group, 0.6% for 10 to 30 age group and 0.5% for 0-10 age group.
The jump in fatality rate is also due to recalibration of data that added 862 deaths, not reported or pending from city hospitals, to the figures in June. BMC has claimed these figures are from March and April, which had not been recorded properly. This had led to a controversy with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging BMC had been fudging and misreporting data on deaths. The civic authorities have denied the claims.
According to BMC officials, the deaths and fatality rates are high in those aged above 50 because of comorbidities and other ailments leading to lower immunity. “The death rate is high owing to comorbidities and other ailments. Along with this, other factors such as reporting late or delayed medical attention also result in deaths. We are taking several measures as part of the mission ‘Save Lives’ to bring down the number of deaths.”
On June 30, BMC launched ‘Save Lives’ to reduce the fatality rate. BMC had noted that several deaths occurred between 1am and 5am, often when serious and critical patients disconnect oxygen support and leave their beds to go to the toilet. They end up straining themselves and collapse. As part of the ‘Save Lives’ strategy, the civic body decided to keep a bedpan for every bed and a commode near every four beds and instructed all healthcare staff to cooperate with patients who want to use the toilet at night. Several such measures were introduced as part of the strategy for all centres.
