BMC gets proactive to check spread of Covid-19 as migrants return to Mumbai

In order to keep a check on the spread of Covid-19 among migrants who have returned to Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has asked local doctors to refer symptomatic patients from slums to their administrative ward offices.

The BMC will then contact these patients to test and treat them at their facilities.

Officials of civic wards with significant slum populations had held a meeting with local doctors on Monday.

A senior civic official said, “We have asked them to refer Covid symptomatic patients from slums. After the daily Covid cases in the city have drastically reduced since September, we are ensuring that reverse migration should not lead to a surge in cases.”

The BMC which was expecting a surge in Covid-19 cases after Diwali, has stocked required medicines and oxygen supply to the same level as it was needed during peak of the pandemic in September.

Suresh Kakani, additional municipal commissioner, said, “We have seen a steady growth of daily Covid cases after Diwali which is a good sign. Having said that, we have made arrangements to the highest level. Oxygen supply has been scaled up to what it was needed during the Covid peak.”

Even though the active cases at present are around 10, 000, the BMC says that it is equipped to handle more than 38, 000 active patients in the city. “Nearly 10 per cent of the total oxygen supply is being used since the active cases are low. We have kept the staff of vacant beds on standby in case there is a rise in cases. The city is equipped to handle a Covid surge,” Kakani added.

Last week, the BMC had prepared a list of 20, 000 homes that were found locked during the ‘My Family My Responsibility’ survey and had decided to revisit these homes and conduct Covid tests if needed. The majority of these homes are believed to be of those who left Mumbai after the lockdown was announced in March.