MUMBAI: The BMC, on the first day of its rapid antigen test (RAT) drive, managed only 15,128 of the targeted 47,800 tests across the city.
Eight per cent of the people tested Covid-19 positive, said municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal.
Municipal officials said that they were hoping to conduct more rapid antigen tests in the coming days, especially in those areas of the city that are known to witness a large number of footfalls.
“We are deploying staff and laboratory personnel at more crowded places as compared to the first day,” said a BMC official.
On Tuesday in Dadar, tests were done at Shivaji Mandir theatre auditorium, at Kotwal garden and on Senapati Bapat Marg, while hawkers in the Vile Parle station area were also tested.
Kiran Dighavkar, assistant municipal commissioner of G-North ward, said: “There was some resistance as people feel that they are stepping out for their own work and we are asking them to undergo antigen testing. However, we make them understand and many have been convinced. Of the total 142 tested in the ward at various places, one only was found to be positive.”
K-West ward assistant municipal commissioner Vishwas Mote said five hawkers at Vile Parle railway station tested positive.
“Many people make purchases from them and, therefore, they could be super spreaders. The five hawkers who tested positive were immediately asked to quarantine themselves,” he said.
In malls, confusion continued to loom as some visitors were not allowed entry without testing even though the BMC circular said that it was random testing only.
A visitor who was at Atria Mall in the afternoon said the place bore a deserted look.
“They were making everyone entering the mall undergo the test. I was also asked to undergo testing, however I had an RT- PCR negative report with me, so they allowed me in without the testing,” she said.
Another visitor, criticising the new RAT drive in malls, where people are expected to pay Rs 250, said the business at malls was likely to suffer as people would avoid visiting these.
“Why should people pay for these tests? If a family of four goes to a mall, it will have to shell out Rs 1,000. This makes no sense when you want to bring the economy back on track,” he said.
By evening, the updated figures showed that on the first day 15,128 rapid antigen tests were conducted.
While 8% of those tested were found to be positive for Covid-19, antigen tests conducted in January before the recent surge in cases had only 2% positivity.
Of the 15,128 RATs on day one, the maximum were done in L ward (Kurla), where 2,582 tests were done, followed by H-East ward (Bandra East and Santacruz), where 1,824 tests were done, K-East (Jogeshwari and Andheri east), where 1,600 tests were done, and E Ward (Byculla), where 1,298 tests were done.