Is BMC ready to handle a surge in Covid-19 cases?

With 10,714 cases, 412 deaths, 2,083 containment zones, and 41 days of lockdown, authorities have a mixed take on how bad the Covid-19 crisis can get for Mumbai.

With 10,714 cases, 412 deaths, 2,083 containment zones, and 41 days of lockdown, authorities have a mixed take on how bad the Covid-19 crisis can get for Mumbai. One thing they are certain about, however, a need to prepare the city’s health infrastructure to handle the worst-case scenario – 75,000 cases projected by May end.

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“The way to deal with this situation is to be prepared. We should not be taken by surprise at a later date and caught scrambling for resources. Mumbai is better off over-estimating the extent of the spread of Covid-19. To be prepared, we need hospital and quarantine beds to match our projected figures. We need more doctors and nurses to attend to patients being treated at hospitals, and personal protective equipment (PPE) for our frontline staff,” said a senior civic official.

As the number of positive cases begins to rise, surveillance through fever clinics will help identify positive patients at a local level. “Fever clinics target the right group of people who are more susceptible to catching the virus; those who live in containment zones or hotspots. The clinics cater to random people from within this group who come forward because they show symptoms, or are unidentified contacts of positive patients,” said the official. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has so far conducted 255 fever clinics through which 11,591 people have been screen and 238 positive cases have been identified.

As the number of cases rises rapidly, BMC is tasked with identifying more beds for symptomatic patients, those with co-morbidities, and serious cases. They also need to find isolation units for asymptomatic patients who do not need constant medical care.

Municipal commissioner Praveen Pardeshi had earlier told Hindustan Times, “We have decided to move asymptomatic patients to Covid care centres so that the hospital beds they utilise can be made available for patients who need urgent and constant medical attention.”

As approximately 60% of the total cases are asymptomatic, the city needs to ramp up the number of beds at Covid care centres as well at hospitals0. At present, there are 7,500 hospital beds ready and another 5,000 have been identified at private hospitals. They are being equipped with oxygen points. In addition, 750 intensive care unit (ICU) beds are available.

BMC is also preparing Mumbai’s large open spaces, playgrounds, and sports complexes to convert them to temporary quarantine centres (CCCs). Mahalaxmi Racecourse is set to house 200 isolation beds in its parking lot; Mahim Nature Park will have 600 beds; Richardson and Cruddas factory near JJ Hospital will have 200 beds, and Bandra-Kurla Complex’s exhibition grounds will house 500 beds. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre’s (BARC) DAE Convention Centre at Chembur and Nehru Science Centre, Andheri Sports Complex, along with 350 municipal schools will also be used for CCCs. The National Sports Club of India (NCSI) dome at Worli and BKC grounds are set to get oxygen points for the beds there.

BMC has identified 25,000 isolation beds at hotels, hostels, marriage halls, and sports complexes. Also, another 35,000 bed-spaces have been identified in 350 municipal schools, and 20,000 beds can be available in ‘jumbo facilities’ such as gymkhanas.

Risk contacts of Covid-positive patients, who were earlier being moved to CCCs are now being asked to quarantine themselves at home, unless they live in small houses shared by more family members, or have community toilets.

The civic body is looking to hire over 1,000 doctors, nurses, and supporting medical staff on a contractual basis for three months. It also plans to hire post-graduate students from private medical colleges to monitor patients at CCC centres, which do not need specialised doctors.

However, experts believe the preparations may not be adequate considering the speed at which the pandemic is spreading. Further, the city’s residents need to understand their role in countering the outbreak.

Dr Sanjay Pattiwar, public health consultant said, “We are talking about 10,000 cases, but there are going to be many more. The key is for people to not be afraid of the coronavirus, or community quarantine centres, and come forward to report their symptoms. Lockdown is the key to containing the virus, but we will have to bank on herd immunity to be able to deal with this situation. There needs to be more awareness among people about personal hygiene, community hygiene, and social distancing. Even today, people are violating lockdown rules. I may test negative today, but I may become positive a week later. How many times will the government conduct Covid tests on me in such a scenario?”