Dharavi reported its eighth death and five new coronavirus (COVID-19) cases on Wednesday, bringing the total to 60. The deceased is an earlier reported case who had attended the Nizamuddin Markaz and later tested positive. The new cases are from Mukund Nagar, an area that makes up for one-fourth of Dharavi’s cases.
Two people from among the several Dharavi residents who had attended the Markaz and were placed under quarantine at the Rajiv Gandhi Sports Complex started displaying symptoms earlier this month. On April 10, they were moved to Sion hospital where they were tested positive. One of them, a 55-year-old man, lived opposite Dr. Baliga Nagar, a COVID-19 hotspot. He passed away at Sion Hospital on Wednesday.
Besides, Dharavi reported five new cases from Mukund Nagar on Wednesday. All of them are from the 20-50 age-group.
Thus, Mukund Nagar has now reported 14 cases so far, out of Dharavi’s 60.
“The cases from Mukund Nagar are from fever camps held here where we proactively found cases. So far, we have screened 30,000 people in Dharavi for fever,” said Kiran Dighavkar, Assistant Municipal Commissioner, G North ward.
Neighbouring residents of a private hospital as well as a municipal school taken over for quarantining high-risk contacts have been opposing keeping them there. They want the people to be shifted out.
“It is in larger interest of the society to quarantine them here because this can happen to anyone. If nobody wants a quarantine around them, where do we take these people? There is no harm to neighbours as we take utmost care as per protocol in the quarantine and they will not come in contact with anyone,” said Mr. Dighavkar.
Dadar’s Shivaji Park saw two new cases on Wednesday, a 75 year-old woman and a 69 year-old man. This brings the total from Dadar to 21.
Interactive map of confirmed cases in India
Mahim saw three new cases. A 55 year-old man from Prakash Nagar tested positive. Besides, two high risk contacts of an earlier patient also tested positive. They include a 38 year-old woman and a 32 year-old man. Thus, Mahim has a total of nine cases.
Dharavi, Dadar and Mahim all fall under G North ward.