1 year of Covid: 6,099 civic staffers infected; 197 died in Mumbai

According to BMC officials, 6,099 civic employees were infected, of whom 5,066 have recovered and 197 have lost their lives. Families of 54 of the 197 civic employees who have died have received a compensation of ₹50 lakh, according to BMC. For others, the compensation is in process.

In one year since Covid-19 hit the city, more than 6,000 staff members of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) tested positive for Covid-19 and around 200 have lost their lives on frontline duty, according to BMC data.

An elderly couple at the Covid-19 vaccination centre, Bhagwati Hospital in Borivali (West) on Friday. (Vijay Bate/HT)

According to BMC officials, 6,099 civic employees were infected, of whom 5,066 have recovered and 197 have lost their lives.

BMC staffers have been on frontline duty since March 11 last year when the first case of Covid-19 was reported in the city. However, screening of passengers at Mumbai Airport had started on January 18, 2020 followed by testing since February 3, 2020.

Families of 54 of the 197 civic employees who have died have received a compensation of ₹50 lakh, according to BMC. For others, the compensation is in process.

BMC officials said that maximum deaths were reported from solid waste management (SWM) department followed by health department. A civic official said, “SWM and health workers were on duty even during the strictest lockdown, collecting waste and treating those infected, and hence they have the majority of fatality.”

According to data from BMC, a total of 180,233 healthcare workers have been vaccinated in the city, followed by 120,115 frontline workers. Overall, 513,686 have been vaccinated which includes 213,338 senior citizens and those aged above 45 year with comorbidities.

Meanwhile, Mahendra Zankar, secretary of Municipal Kamgar Sangh, said, “We are aware that families of all those who lost their lives on frontline duty have not been compensated yet. Though the spread has slowed down now as vaccination has started, we request BMC to fasten the process of giving ₹50 lakh compensation to the families along with job to one member from each family.”