Dharavi reports zero active Covid-19 cases for the first time in the pandemic

The Dharavi slum, which was one of Mumbai’s worst affected Covid-19 hotspots at the beginning of the pandemic, reported zero active cases on Thursday, for the first time since April 1, 2020, when the first case of the virus was reported from the slum

The Dharavi slum, which was one of Mumbai’s worst affected Covid-19 hotspots at the beginning of the pandemic, reported zero active cases on Thursday, for the first time since April 1, 2020, when the first case of the virus was reported from the slum. So far, this slum has recorded a total of 8,652 Covid-19 cases.

During the first wave, the highest number of cases reported in Dharavi in a single day were 94, on May 3. However, by May 2020, the number of Covid cases in Dharavi had begun to decline, and in June, it had flattened the curve, during the first wave. (Satish Bate/HT Photo)

Dharavi’s first Covid-19 case also became the first death due to Covid-19. After April 1, 2020, it took 17 days for this slum pocket to record the first 100 cases, six days to record the next 100, and only five days to record 100 more. On April 17, Dharavi recorded a total of 101 Covid-19 positive cases. This figure doubled by April 23, when Dharavi recorded 214 cases. By the end of April 2020, Dharavi had recorded around 340 Covid-19 cases.

During the first wave, the highest number of cases reported in Dharavi in a single day were 94, on May 3. However, by May 2020, the number of Covid cases in Dharavi had begun to decline, and in June, it had flattened the curve, during the first wave.

Within the first 15 days of the first wave, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) launched ‘Mission Dharavi’, by sticking to the 4Ts - tracing, tracking, testing, and treating and hospitalisation or quarantining of its positive patients. High risk contacts were also moved to quarantine facilities. Strict containment measures were in place, large scale testing was also done door-to-door. The containment of the Covid crisis in one of the most densely populated areas in the city earned the BMC plaudits from across the world.

During the second wave, the highest number of daily cases recorded in Dharavi was 99, in April 2021. By mid-May 2021, the cases in a single day began to drop again. During the third wave, civic officials improved upon its Mission Dharavi model, and took a three point approach to contain cases in this slum pocket, which included fever camps, disinfection of public premises, and speeding up of vaccination

The Dharavi slum is spread over 2.4 sq km, has 850,000 residents and a population density of 354,167 per square kilometre, making it one of the most cramped spaces in Mumbai.

Meanwhile, Mumbai on Thursday reported 54 Covid-19 cases and zero deaths due to Covid-19. There are 258 active Covid-19 cases in the city at present.

Maharashtra reported 139 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, and three deaths - one in Pune municipal corporation area, and two from the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation area. The case fatality rate in the state stands at 1.82%. As of Thursday, there are 965 active Covid-19 cases in the state. The highest number of cases were reported from Mumbai (54), Pune city (14), Pimpri Chinchwad (11), Navi Mumbai (9), and Ahmednagar (7).

A total of 49,466 tests were conducted across the state in the 24 hours upto Thursday and the positivity rate for the day is 0.3%. Overall, the caseload of the state is 7,872,956, and the toll due to covid-19 from the state is 143,772. 255 patients recovered from covid-19 in Maharashtra on Thursday, and the overall recovery rate of the state is 98.11%.

In 24 hours up to Thursday, a total of 15,456 tests were conducted in Mumbai. The positivity rate for Thursday is 0.3%. Mumbai’s recovery rate stands at 98% and the mortality rate is 1.5%. In total, over 16.5 million tests have been conducted in city since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.

Of the 54 cases reported on Thursday in Mumbai, 50 patients were asymptomatic, four needed hospitalisation, and none of them needed oxygen beds.