Mumbai: August sees 41% dip in Covid-19 cases

The first 19 days of August have seen a 41% decrease in cases (5,510 infections), compared to the same period in July (9,339 infections), and a 60% drop from the corresponding time in June (13,978 infections).

In a respite to Mumbai, Covid-19 cases seem to be on the decline, data revealed. The first 19 days of August have seen a 41% decrease in cases (5,510 infections), compared to the same period in July (9,339 infections), and a 60% drop from the corresponding time in June (13,978 infections).

A health worker collects swab samples of passengers arriving from outstation trains, at Dadar station on Thursday. (Bhushan Koyande/ HT)

The figures are amid indication from experts and authorities that the devastating second Covid-19 wave, which started from April, is under control in the city and towards its tail end. The total active cases in Mumbai have also dropped to 3,030 and 85% of the 15,907 beds in Covid-19 hospitals are vacant.

Also, Mumbai’s daily positivity rate has dropped. Mumbai on Thursday recorded a positivity rate of 0.5% as the civic body conducted 52,482 tests on Wednesday. The number of new Covid-19 cases reported on Thursday is 282. Overall, Mumbai has conducted 8,798,439 Covid-19 tests at an overall positivity rate of 8.41%.

Dr Rahul Pandit, who is part of Maharashtra’s Covid-19 task-force, said, “We are at the end of the second wave, but this is the time we need to be extra careful, especially as aspects of routine life are opening up in the city. As a city, if we grow complacent now, our caseload can increase rapidly.”

While the overall bed occupancy is very low, the ICU and ventilator bed occupancy is considerably higher. Of the 2,313 ICU beds, 30.4% or 704 beds are occupied, while 1,609 are vacant. Of the 1,310 ventilator beds in Mumbai for Covid-19 patients, 34% or 451 beds are occupied, while 859 are vacant.

Dr Om Shrivastav, who is also part of the task force, said, “We have seen more serious or critical patients during the second wave. Even though many Covid-19 patients did not need hospitalisation, those who delayed in getting medical attention developed serious symptoms faster. This aspect of the second wave has lingered and serious patients are still recovering.”

Out of data available with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for 2,686 active cases, 38% are symptomatic, 45% are asymptomatic, and 17% are critical. On the contrary, BMC figures from March 2021 show (for 33,961 active cases on that day) 77% were asymptomatic, 21% were symptomatic, and only 2% were critical.