Covid-19 negative report mandatory to enter shopping malls in Mumbai

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on Friday made Covid-19 test report mandatory for people entering shopping malls in the city. According to reports, the new rules will come into effect from March 22, next Monday. If people are not carrying a negative report, they will be tested at the entrance.

The restriction has been announced a day after the city recorded the highest-ever single-day spike with 2,877 fresh cases on Thursday. With 17,153 active cases, the Mumbai district has the third-highest number of active infections in the country at present.

While several districts of Maharashtra have brought back night curfews, local restrictions, there has been no decision on imposing similar curbs in Mumbai. The new rule for mall entry leaves a hint that the civic authorities will opt for similar such restrictions to check crowding, instead of going for night curfew or lockdown.

Mumbai currently has 34 active containment zones and 267 buildings sealed. Between March 17 and 18, the BMC authorities traced 14,979 high-risk contacts, its latest bulletin said.

About 95 per cent of the new cases in Maharashtra are asymptomatic. Hence, testing and tracking are most important to contain the spread of the infection, the state government said. On Thursday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray held a virtual meeting with divisional commissioners and asked them to ensure that restrictions are not being violated.

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