Mumbai: BMC appeals citizens to get tested amid fear of 3rd Covid wave

The BMC has appealed to citizens that they should get themselves tested at 250 civic-run centres where free testing camps are being conducted

Published on: Aug 27, 2021, 23:32:30 IST

By Mehul R Thakkar, Mumbai

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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday appealed to citizens that they should get tested immediately, in case they turn symptomatic or come in contact with any Covid positive patient. The civic body wants to be cautious as the threat of the third wave of the pandemic looms large, said civic officials.

Beneficiaries in the above-18 age group get inoculated against Covid-19 at Bharatratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Municipal General Hospital, Kandivali. (HT PHOTO)

The BMC has appealed to citizens that they should get themselves tested at 250 civic-run centres where free testing camps are being conducted.

In a statement issued on Friday, the BMC said, “Citizens should get tested for Covid-19 immediately if they come in contact with Covid infected patients or find any symptoms in themselves. Free Covid test facility on behalf of BMC is available at more than 250 centres in the city.”

As per predictions of experts and authorities, the third wave of Covid-19 cases is likely to be recorded anytime between September and November, during the festival season, civic officials pointed out.

Further, to handle the third wave of Covid in a better way, the BMC plans to increase testing figures from the daily 30-35 thousand tests to around 40-50 thousand tests. For example, on Thursday, the BMC conducted 35,870 tests in which 362 cases were detected positive which means a positivity rate of 1.00%.

Until now, 9,096,263 tests have been conducted in the city and the overall positivity rate is 8.16%. Mumbai was the first city in the country to liberalise testing for all citizens irrespective of being symptomatic or not on July 7, 2021.

Meanwhile, on Friday, 362 cases were reported followed by five deaths taking the tally to 742,763 cases and 15,968 deaths. The city’s recovery rate is 97.11% and the mortality rate is 2.14%.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mehul R Thakkar
Mehul R Thakkar is a Mumbai-based journalist who closely tracks the city’s ever-evolving real estate landscape. He believes that Mumbai presents a unique reality that, while Mumbaikars deeply aspire to own a home in the city of dreams, many spend little actual time living in it due to long commutes and demanding work lives. With over 11 years of experience in journalism, I have reported across a wide spectrum of beats, including real estate, housing, infrastructure, aviation, and education. I have also extensively covered the workings of India’s wealthiest civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), providing insight into the policy, governance, and urban planning decisions that directly influence Mumbai’s growth. Before joining Hindustan Times, I worked in fast-paced digital and print newsrooms, including Moneycontrol.com and Deccan Chronicle, as well as national dailies such as The Asian Age and DNA. Outside the newsroom, I am an avid weather tracker, a fan of spy thrillers in both books and films, and a keen follower of international affairs.Read More

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