Recovery rate of Covid positive BEST staff crosses 50%

The recovery rate of Covid-19 positive employees of the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking reached 50% on Monday with four patients

The recovery rate of Covid-19 positive employees of the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking reached 50% on Monday with four patients getting discharged in a single day, said BEST officials.

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Data released by undertaking on Monday states that of the 208 BEST staffers, who tested positive including five cases reported on Monday, 104 have successfully battled the disease and have been discharged. There have also been eight deaths.

“As compared to others (other government undertakings), till date we have managed to control the spread of the virus among our staffers. We are the only public undertaking who managed a recovery rate of 50%. There were around eight fatalities; we are working on it,” said Dr Anil Kumar Singhal, chief medical officer, BEST.

In addition, 80% of the patients currently under treatment are either asymptomatic or only have mild symptoms. BEST administration is confident that more patients will be discharged soon and the recovery rate will increase further. However, three staffers have been admitted in intensive care units (ICU) while 10 are on oxygenated beds in critical condition.

Elaborating on the matter, Singhal said the first BEST employee tested positive on April 14, following which BEST medical department with civic health staff conducted massive screening operation. Thousands of BEST workers and their family members who possibly came in contact with positive patients have been screened for symptoms since then.

“This immediate screening of suspected patients helps identify positive patients at their early stage, which helps improve chances of recovery,” said Singhal.

However, Shashank Sharad Rao, leader of BEST Sanyukta Kamgar Kruti Samiti (BSKKS), accused BEST administration of poor management. “The number of BEST staffers testing positive each day is increasing because the administration is not taking proper care of its staff. There were no social distancing in buses and staffers were carrying out duty without gloves and sanitiser.”

Refuting these allegations, Singhal said BEST is taking all necessary steps to maintain the health and safety of their staffers and their family members.

More than 150 staffers were kept under home quarantine to avoid further spread of the disease.