35 test positive for Covid-19: Mumbai’s Matunga municipal market shut for 5 days

With 35 of the 200-odd fruits and vegetable vendors and supply labourers from the municipal market in Matunga testing positive for Covid-19 on Thursday morning,

With 35 of the 200-odd fruits and vegetable vendors and supply labourers from the municipal market in Matunga testing positive for Covid-19 on Thursday morning, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)’s F North ward office has decided to shut the market for five days starting Thursday.

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While 12 of the 35 are vendors, the remaining are labourers and shopkeepers, according to Gajanan Bellale, assistant commissioner of F North ward.

BMC conducted rapid antigen tests for vendors and labourers as part of its drive to test persons who frequently come in contact with a large number of citizens such as vendors and shopkeepers.

Bellale said, “We are randomly picking areas that see a large crowd, such as a municipal market. After five days, we will take a call on whether to re-open the market at Matunga.”

Ravi Raja, leader of the opposition in BMC and whose electoral constituency comes under the ward, said, “On Thursday, BMC also conducted a similar testing drive at Gandhi Market in Matunga which also sees a large crowd. A decision on shutting that market will be taken on Friday.”

The F North ward, which covers Matunga, King’s Circle, Wadala and parts of Sewri in south central Mumbai, has 1,085 active Covid-19 cases, according to the latest BMC data of Tuesday. The ward has a growth rate of 1.26%, a little below Mumbai’s average growth rate of 1.28%, while its doubling rate is 55 days, same as Mumbai’s average doubling rate.