Mumbai recorded 1,359 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, taking the tally to 61,587. The city also recorded 77 more fatalities, taking the death toll to 3,244.

The city’s case-fatality rate now stands at 5.2%, much higher than the national fatality rate of 3.3%.

Of the latest fatalities, 59 were men and 18 women. At least 53 patients had comorbidities that made their recovery difficult. Medical experts say the mortality rate in patients who go on ventilator support is much higher.

Steroid shows results

An Oxford University trial has now shown positive results with steroid drug dexamethasone when given to patients on ventilator support. The State’s COVID-19 task force members are closely following the development and are likely to add the drug after the final trial results are out.

“In our current standard of care, we are already using a steroid drug methylprednisolone for moderate to severe patients. If the final trial results of dexamethasone are favourable, we will recommend it to the government as another drug to be added to the list,” said task force member Dr. Shashank Joshi. The current treatment protocol includes a cocktail of multiple drugs depending on the patient’s condition.

Use of steroids in serious patients is common yet often debated. A study carried out in Michigan on 213 patients concluded, “An early short course of methylprednisolone in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 improved clinical outcomes”.

Ward watch

Dharavi reported 17 new cases and one death on Wednesday. Its case tally is now 2,106 and death toll is 78.

As cases in Andheri (East) continued to grow, K East ward still has the highest number of cases at 4,223. Of these, 2,183 are active cases. The second highest number of active cases was recorded in P North ward (Malad) which has 2,053.

However, R North ward continued to have highest case growth rate at 5.5%

Mumbai’s average case growth rate dipped to 2.43% while its doubling rate stands at 29 days.