Mumbai reported 1,185 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, the second-highest single-day jump, pushing its tally to 21,335. The city also recorded 23 deaths, taking the toll to 757. Nearly 61% of Maharashtra’s cases and deaths are from Mumbai.

The city’s case fatality rate stands at 3.5%, which is the same as that of the State. Of the 23 patients who succumbed to the infection, 18 were men and five were women. Thirteen of them had co-morbid conditions like diabetes, hypertension and asthma. While three patients who died were below the age of 40, nine were between 40 and 60 years and 11 were above 60 years.

Experts said about 3%-5% infected patients require critical care. Recovery has been difficult in patients who have uncontrolled underlying ailments - for example, a diabetic who has not been on medication to control the blood sugar level, or a hypertensive patient whose blood pressure has not been under control for long.

‘Don’t seal buildings’

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday said an entire residential building or a housing society should not be sealed if a patient was found positive. In the revised protocol issued by the civic body, only that particular floor can be sealed. While the positive patient can be shifted to a facility as per the availability of the bed, if the patient has no symptoms, they can be in home quarantine.

“The contacts of positive patients can be home-quarantined depending on the availability of space and toilets. The disinfection should be carried out in the house of the patient along with the common areas, lifts, staircase, etc. It can be done either by a private agency or the BMC,” said a civic official, adding once the particular floor, wing or building has been sealed, the BMC will hand over the declaration of the sealed area to the office-bearers of the society and explain the precautions to be taken by them. Some of the precautions are strict use of mask, physical distancing, no maids, vendors or service providers in the contained area, ensuring local vendors, medical stores and online merchants deliver supplies at society boundary, and delivery of essential supplies to home-quarantined asymptomatic patients.

The civic body has also said that medical professionals living in the building should sensitise residents and in case someone develops symptoms, the BMC should be notified and guidance should be taken from 1916 helpline. The civic body has urged the citizens to not stigmatise or discriminate against positive patients.

85 cases in Dharavi

Dharavi reported 85 new cases on Monday, taking the total number to 1,327. The area has recorded 56 deaths so far. Majority of the fresh cases were reported from Matunga Labour Camp and Kumbharwada, both falling in containment zones. The 85 include seven minors with the youngest one being a seven-year-old from the labour camp. Mahim reported 28 fresh cases, pushing the tally to 221, while Dadar recorded 14 new cases, taking the total figure to 173. Dharavi, Dadar and Mahim fall under G North ward.

Navi Mumbai at 1,264

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation on Monday reported 74 positive cases and six deaths. The total number of cases now stands at 1,264, which include 483 recovered patients and 37 casualties.

Of the six deaths, two are APMC traders and one is the grandmother of an APMC trader. The 74 new cases include 22 from Turbhe, three from Airoli, 12 from Nerul, eight from Vashi, six from Ghansoli, and four each from Koparkhairane and Belapur.

As many as 9,929 people are in home quarantine in Navi Mumbai, while 11,198 have finished the quarantine period. Of the 8,586 people tested till now, 6,585 have been found negative and 737 reports are pending. The Panvel Municipal Corporation recorded 12 positive cases and two deaths. The 12 patients are two police personnel attached to Turbhe traffic police station and Naigaon headquarters, three from a family of an engineer who works with JIO in Ghatkopar, a BMC sanitisation worker, two from a family of a worker at JNPT, Uran, three from a family of a person working at BEST’s Sion depot, and a JJ Hospital’s staff nurse.

After the policeman from Turbhe traffic chowky was found positive, five of his colleagues have been quarantined. The total number of positive cases has gone up to 271, of which 125 have recovered. The two casualties are a 54-year-old from Kalamboli and a 57-year-old from Kamothe. The death toll has now reached 10.

Panvel rural reported nine new cases making a total of 242, of which 43 have recovered and three have died.

(With inputs from Tanvi Deshpande and Raina Assainar)