Mumbai coronavirus update: 9,310 cases, 361 deaths in Maharashtra’s Covid-19 hotspot; Section 144 imposed

Dharavi, Asia’s biggest slum, alone recorded 42 new cases, taking the tally to 632 cases. Twenty people have been killed in Dharavi so far.

Eighteen people died of the coronavirus disease on Monday in Mumbai, the capital of worst-affected Maharashtra, taking the toll in the state to 583. Thirty five people died of Covid-19 across the state on Monday.

Migrant workers maintain social distance while submitting forms to travel to their native places, during the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown, at Vashi in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday. (PTI Photo)

Mumbai is among the worst-hit cities in the state, the others being Thane, Raigad, Pune and Palghar. These districts have nearly 90 per cent of the state’s Covid-19 cases.

Mumbai Police have announced that Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) has been imposed in the city till May 17, news agency ANI reported. Section 144 of CrPC prohibits the assembly of four or more people in an area.

“The Movement of one or more persons for all non-essential services, except for medical reasons, will be prohibited between 8 pm and 7 am,” the police said in a statement reported by ANI.

As per state authorities, Mumbai has recorded 9,310 cases and 361 deaths so far. Dharavi, Asia’s biggest slum, alone recorded 42 new cases, taking the tally to 632 cases. Twenty people have been killed in Dharavi so far.

Three employees of civic body BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), including an assessment inspector serving in hotspot Dharavi, had died due to the infection. In a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, the Municipal Union said civic staff were risking their lives while ensuring the outbreak is contained.

The Mulund area or T ward of the BMC, which had one of the lowest numbers of Covid-19 cases, saw a 42 per cent hike on Monday, with 52 cases in a single day. The tally of positive cases in Mulund is now 123.

T ward was among the top three wards including R North (Dahisar-Borivli) and C ward (Kalbadevi-Chira Bazaar) that had the lowest number of cases in the past one month. This one-day spike in the T ward has created a worrisome situation for the civic administration.

Of the 52 infected, a majority were found in Amarnagar, Indiranagar, and Ramgad slums.

The number of coronavirus cases in Dadar and Mahim increased by four and three respectively, taking the tally to 54 and 71.

There are 1,927 active containment zones in the city at present, of which 641 are red zones (congested, need police help), 502 are orange zones (congested but manageable), and 784 are blue zones (manageable gated communities).

Maharashtra, meanwhile, recorded a single-day jump of 1,567 new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases on Monday, taking the state’s tally to 14,541.