Mumbai Covid cases dip, 10,661 fresh infections in last 24 hours

11 deaths have been recorded in the last 24 hours. 54,558 tests have been conducted.

Mumbai on Saturday reported 10,662 fresh infections continuing the downward trend. About 84% of the infected people are asymptomatic, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation data revealed. 11 deaths have been recorded in the last 24 hours. 54,558 tests have been conducted. On Friday, the 24-hour tally of Mumbai was 11,317; on Thursday, the number was 13,702. In the ongoing surge, Mumbai's daily cases peaked at 20,00 per day. But the fall in the daily cases has also been fast, though it is not yet known whether the fall indicates flattening of the curve in Mumbai or a result of the decreased number of tests.

A health worker collects a swab sample for RAT (Rapid Antigen Test) of an arriving passenger at a railway station in Mumbai.  (AFP)

Maharashtra on Saturday reported 42,462 fresh infections and 23 deaths. While the number of fresh cases came down from Friday, the fatalities increased. On Friday, the state reported 43,211 fresh cases and 19 deaths.

Maharashtra additional chief secretary of the health department, Dr Pradeep Vyas, on Saturday said that though the surge is driven by Omicron, Delta strain still accounts for the maximum number of infections in the state. Delta variant was found in 68 per cent of samples, out of the over 4,200 analysed, while the remaining 32 per cent of patients were found infected with the Omicron strain, he claimed.

"Since November 1 last year, the samples of 4,265 COVID-19 patients were sent for genome sequencing. The results of 4,201 cases have been issued, which indicate that Omicron variant was detected in 1,367 cases or in 32 per cent, while the prevalence of Delta variant was found in the remaining 68 per cent cases," Dr Vyas said.

According to the BMC data released on Saturday, 722 patients were hospitalised in teh last 24 hours and out of them, 111 are on oxygen. The recovery rate of Mumbai stands at 91% and the doubling rate is 43 days. A total of 58 buildings are sealed in the city and at present, there is no actively contained slums and chawls in the municipality area.