PremiumIndia's financial hub Mumbai city, which has achieved praise for tackling the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic better than any other metropolis in the country, is now all geared up to win the battle against the potential third wave.
Mumbai is building four gigantic centres across the city with special units for the Covid positive children, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) told Reuters news agency.
Experts have said that the third wave of Covid-19 would affect children the most.
Additionally, the city's civic chief Iqbal Singh Chahal also said they are working closely with a special task force that includes some of India's top pediatricians.
Chahal said four Covid care centres with pediatric units will be able to house more than a thousand children along with a parent.
The facilities, which will also have intensive-care units (ICUs), will be ready by next month, he added.
The BMC chief said that there is ample funding from the state, companies, and even Bollywood celebrities to boost medical infrastructure ahead of the third wave.
The city is spending tens of millions of dollars to build the pediatric units and is already procuring ventilators, monitors, and other medical equipment, Chahal said.
The pediatric task force, led by Dr Suhas Prabhu, is considering training about 660 pediatricians on how to handle children affected by a coronavirus, and then broaden the training to more staff.
Signs of the ebbing of the second Covid wave are apparent as the city's daily positivity rate stood at 4.8% on Thursday.
However, the BMC's Covid health bulletin showed a marginal rise in cases on May 20--1,425 compared to 1,329 on Wednesday and 961 on Tuesday.
While the total caseload of the city is 6.9 lakh, the doubling rate is 297 days and the virus' overall growth rate has been 0.23%.
Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!!