No entry in Mumbai shopping malls without Covid-19 negative report from today

According to the announcement made on Friday, the rule will be applicable to all malls and if visitors are not carrying a negative Covid-19 test report or don't have one, they will be able to get a Rapid Antigen Test done at the entrance of the shopping mall.

Amid the rising cases of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced it will be mandatory for people entering any shopping mall in the city to have a negative RT-PCR Covid-19 test report from Monday. According to the announcement made on Friday, the rule will be applicable to all malls and if visitors are not carrying a negative Covid-19 test report or don't have one, they will be able to get a Rapid Antigen Test done at the entrance of the shopping mall.

A health worker collects nasal swab of a passenger for Covid-19 test. (AP Photo)

"A team will be designated at the entrance for this very purpose. The details are being worked out," the Mumbai civic body said.

Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar said on Friday that all the residents of the city need to work together in order to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease. "I think imposing a night curfew is necessary right now. We are also considering shifting the crowded markets to new sites. All Mumbaikars need to work together to prevent the imposition of a lockdown," Pednekar said.

Mumbai reported 3,779 fresh Covid-19 cases on Sunday and 10 patients succumbed to the viral infection, taking the overall tally to 362,675 and the death toll to 11,586. This was the highest single-day spike in the city. Maharashtra has also been consistently reporting high Covid-19 cases since February and remains the worst affected state due to the pandemic. The state reported 30,535 fresh Covid-19 cases on Sunday, which was the highest rise in a single day since the beginning of the pandemic. With this, the tally of infections in the state mounted to 24,79,682 and 99 fatalities pushed its death toll to 53,399.

In order to curb the spread of Covid-19, the state government has imposed lockdown-like restrictions in several districts including Nagpur, Thane, Wardha, Panvel, Aurangabad, Parbhani and Nashik.