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Wearing masks mandatory in mumbai or face arrest: BMC
Citing several studies pointing out that wearing masks can reduce the scope of spreading coronavirus, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) made it mandatory
Citing several studies pointing out that wearing masks can reduce the scope of spreading coronavirus, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) made it mandatory for citizens to wear masks in public places. Failing to do so may result in offenders getting arrested under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the BMC said in a circular. Meanwhile, the BMC maintained that Mumbai has not entered stage three of the outbreak, which is community transmission, amid speculation owing to the spike in daily cases.
A circular, issued by municipal commissioner Praveen Pardeshi, stated that the civic body has decided in public interest to make masks necessary for any person moving in public places. The circular stated that citizens must wear three-ply or cloth mask. The BMC circular read, “Any person moving around in his personal or official vehicle must be wearing masks. No person/ officer will attend any meeting/ gathering, workplace without wearing these masks.”
The BMC circular said these masks may be standard ones available with the chemist or even homemade, washable masks and can be reused after proper washing and disinfecting them.
The BMC circular further noted that those not wearing masks can be arrested. The circular stated, “Anybody violating these instructions will be punishable under section 188 of IPC and will be strictly penalised and arrested by police officers or officers appointed by the assistant commissioners of wards. All these officers are hereby authorised to take any actions to penalise such violators stringently.
Earlier, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, in his address via social media, has appealed to citizens to wear masks while going out. Thackeray appealed to citizens to wear masks or even use a clean cotton handkerchief that can act as mask.
According to the civic body, Mumbai reported 72 fresh cases and six fatalities on Wednesday. The city now has 714 coronavirus cases and 45 deaths.
As of Wednesday, the BMC has tested around 14,000 patients for coronavirus, which is around 70% of the 20,000 tests done by Maharashtra. It has tested around 1,012 patients at fever clinics set up in 241 containment zones of the city. The BMC is also planning a drive-through sample collection plan for detecting coronavirus where patients drive in and get tested without getting out of the cars.
Dharavi, India’s largest slum, saw six new cases of Covid-19 and one death on Wednesday, bringing the tally to 13 cases, including two deaths.
The BMC is tracing and quarantining close contacts of the new cases, which include a 50-year-old cleaner working in KEM Hospital, a 25-year-old from Mukund Nagar slum and a 35-year-old in Dhanwada chawl.
Mahim also saw its first two cases of coronavirus on Wednesday. This includes a nurse working at Breach Candy Hospital and staying in Mahim and a 43-year-old man, who has a mutton shop in Worli, which is one of the worst-affected spots in the city.
In G-South Ward, which also includes Worli and Prabhadevi area, the number of cases stood at 138, and it has seen the highest spike in number of cases when compared to other wards in the city. In just one day from April 6 to 7, the cases went up from 78 to 133.
Nearly 70% of the 590 coronavirus cases in Mumbai on Tuesday do not have any international travel history and were infected after they came in contact with those who travelled abroad.
Dr Daksha Shah, deputy director, health department of the BMC said, “We are not in stage three of community transmission. According to the Central government, we are in the later phase of stage two. Out of 590 cases that we have detected up to Tuesday, only 20 to 25% have international travel history, and rest all are based on contact.”
Shah added, “The high number of those being detected positive without any travel history is because we are doing rigorous contact tracing of those tested positive. Along with this, we are also doing community testing by setting up fever clinics.”
The BMC has been tracing close contacts by classifying them as high-risk and low-risk contacts of those who tested positive. After tracing the close contacts, the BMC seals a particular area where the close contacts reside or work, and these areas are termed as containment zones.
The Thane police commissioner has also issued a circular, making it compulsory for residents to wear a mask while going in a public place. Vivek Phansalkar, police commissioner, Thane, said, “People are supposed to wear a mask, while going out of their house. They will have to wear a mask even if they are commuting in their own vehicle and at place of work. They can use a mask available at chemist shop or a homemade cloth mask, which is reusable. People found not wearing a mask will be booked under section 188 for violations.”
