22% fewer containment zones in Mumbai since June

Number of coronavirus cases in these zones, however, rises to 30,781 from 18,957

Amid the spike in Covid-19 cases in high-rises, the number of containment zones in the city has dipped 22% to 622 as of July 28, from 798 on June 9, with the dip in cases in slum pockets. The number of cases in these containment zones, however, has increased to 30,781 as of July 28, from 18,957 on June 9. The number of sealed buildings has risen to 5,960 (July 28) from 4,538 (June 9), and the cases, too, have surged to 22,381, from 9,956.

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When a slum pocket is declared a containment zone or a building is sealed after Covid cases are detected, the areas witness strict lockdown, allowing minimal movement for essential services.

The easing of lockdown curbs to allow non-essential movement and visitors might have increased cases in high-rises, a senior civic official said. “Also, people have started commuting to offices and there are more people on the road than earlier. This exposes them to virus transmission,” he said.

Speaking on the new trend, Dr Shashank Joshi, a member of the state Covid-19 task force, said, “The virus came from international travellers, who gave it to their domestic help and drivers. From the slums, it then moved to high-rises and housing societies. This also shows that social distancing was not followed in slums and a localised transmission occurred there, but now they have got immune to it as several of them have developed antibodies.”

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) recent sero survey of three wards revealed that 57% people from slums had overcome the virus by developing antibodies. On July 3, BMC, in collaboration with Niti Aayog and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, started the survey to identify the spread of Covid-19. The survey of 6,936 people from R-North (Dahisar), M-West (Chembur) and F-North (Sion) wards found 57% from slums and 16% from other residential areas had the antibodies, suggesting they had been exposed to Covid-19 and recovered.

BMC officials said that even chronic hot spots of Covid cases in slums, where more than 20 positive cases were detected on a daily basis, have now come down to zero. For instance, several slum pockets in Govandi, Dharavi, Worli and Bandra have zero cases being reported on a daily basis.

Joshi said, “We need to note that vertical high-rises are as bad as slums when it comes to susceptibility of transmission of the virus. This virus has taught us is everyone has to take strict precautions. We can’t get complacent that the cases in slum pockets have declined.”

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Mumbai recorded 1,208 cases and 53 deaths, taking the total to 113,199 and toll to 6,300. According to BMC’s data, of the 53 deaths, one was of a patient below 40 years, 32 were patients above 60 years, and 20 were between 40 and 60 years.

A total of 1,120 patients were recovered and discharged on Thursday, bringing the total to 86,447. The number of active patients in the city was 20,158. The recovery rate was 76%. The number of tests was 5.16 lakh and doubling rate 75 days. Meanwhile, Dharavi reported six new cases on Thursday, taking the total to 2,551.