A 70-year-old woman from Kalyanwadi in Dharavi succumbed to COVID-19 at KEM Hospital on Thursday morning, taking the death toll in the area to three. Dharavi also reported three new cases in the evening, increasing the tally to 17.
The woman’s immediate contacts are being traced and placed under quarantine, while Kalyanwadi has been declared a containment zone. Among the new cases, two men, 58 and 30 years old, are residents of Mukund Nagar, which has already reported two cases. However, they have no link to the earlier cases. The other new patient is a 55-year-old man from Dr. Baliga Nagar, which reported the first COVID-19 case in Dharavi.
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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which has not yet identified the index patients in the two recent deaths, has decided to screen symptomatic residents. Dharavi MLA and Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad said, “I have demanded health check-ups for every resident with rapid testing and help of private practitioners. We are quarantining people in the sports complex, but the tests are taking a long time. What if one patient infects all? Sai Hospital has only one ventilator. We need at least eight to 10.”
BMC to screen residents
On Thursday, Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale held a meeting with Kiran Dighavkar, assistant municipal commissioner of G North ward, and Maharashtra Medical Council representatives.
Mr. Dighavkar said, “Following our appeal, many doctors have come forward to help. All people with symptoms will be screened using thermal guns. Teams of public and private doctors, and community health workers will hold health camps. Symptomatic people will be moved to the sports complex. This is the only way to arrest COVID-19. We want people to come forward if they have symptoms.” Mr. Shewale said 150 doctors have agreed to help. He said, “This will help us screen about 7.5 lakh residents in the next 10-12 days.”
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Meanwhile, the BMC has barred entry to vegetable or fruit vendors on 10 roads in the area, including Dharavi Main Road, Dharavi Cross Road, and Matunga labour camp, after people were found crowding to buy essentials. Pharmacies will stay open and other essentials will be delivered to houses.
Surge in cases
G South ward, comprising Worli and Prabhadevi, has recorded 51 new cases, taking the total to 184. E ward reported five new cases, D ward six, and Andheri West three. A (Colaba, Cuffe Parade) and B (Dongri, Pydhonie) wards have the lowest cases with six each.
