E-Paper
A first in 7 months: Mumbai’s Covid-19 positivity rate is below 14%
Positivity rate 13.89% as of December 13, compared to 16.07% on Nov 13; experts say many are careful, but need to keep guard up ahead of festive season
In a first in the seven months of the Covid pandemic, the city’s positivity rate – the number of people that test positive out of every 100 tested – has fallen below 14%, despite the speculation that it could rise after the Diwali festivities. Also, the doubling rate has increased to 318 days, according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) data.
As of December 13, the positivity rate was 13.89%, compared to 16.07% on November 13. From November 13 to December 13, 20,91,138 tests were conducted in the city.
Civic officials have attributed it to the rise in testing. Currently, the city conducts over 15,000 reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and rapid antigen tests daily. “Since Diwali, for better and faster identification of infected people, we have increased the daily testing. Now, Mumbai is one of the leading cities in tests per million compared to other cities,” said Suresh Kakani, additional commissioner, BMC.
Dr Seema Bansode, head of community medicine at Lokmanya Tilak General Hospital, known as Sion hospital, said as people are taking precautionary measures, the number has dropped. “People are wearing masks, maintaining social distance and regularly sanitising their hands, which is helping stop the circle of infection. Also, people are fearful about the health of their family members,” she said. Currently, almost 70% Covid-19 beds in the city are vacant – 4,705 of the total 16,593 are occupied.
Doctors, however, have cautioned people before the upcoming Christmas and New Year celebrations. “We are still in the stage of recovery. Thankfully, even after Diwali, the pandemic curve has remained flat. But people shouldn’t take this for granted,” said Dr Gautam Bhansali, consultant general physician at Bombay Hospital.
