Coronavirus: Pathology Lab Technician Tests Positive, Dharavi At Five Cases

A 21-year old male pathology lab technician in Mumbai’s Dharavi tested positive for Covid-19, taking the total cases to five in Asia’s most crowded slum.

The patient is a resident of 60 feet road, informed Kiran Dighavkar, assistant commissioner in-charge of the G/North Ward in Central Mumbai. BMC has so far identified five high risk contacts (family members) and 179 low risk. “The person was working till March 24. He developed symptoms on March 29,” Dighavkar said.

The death of the 56-year-old man is the first linked to the pandemic in Dharavi on Thursday, triggering concerns about the outbreak in one of the most crowded parts of the city. This was followed by 35-year male old doctor testing positive on Thursday while on Saturday a 30 year old female and 48-year old man also tested positive for the COVID-19.

The authorities have sealed the areas where positive cases have been found. The process of testing as well as tracing contacts is under way. “Till that time food and other essentials are being provided by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation,” added Dighavkar.

Total Cases In Dharavi: Five

• Cases in Dr. Baliga Nagar: Two—one death and a 30-year-old woman undergoing treatment
• Cases in Dharavi Main Road: A 35-year-old doctor is undergoing treatment
• Cases Mukund Nagar Slum: A 48-year-old man is under treatment
• Cases 60 Feet Road: 21-year-old male lab technician is under treatment
• Besides, a municipal sweeper, who’s a resident of Worli but posted in Dharavi has tested positive and is under treatment
  

“In one of the pro-active measures, BMC is setting up health camp in Dr. Baliga Nagar to take swabs of symptomatic contacts and send it for testing. The total population of Dr. Baliga Nagar is 2,500 which include 132 senior citizens and 32 people with respiratory illness/cough/cold or fever,” added Dighavkar.

Similar health camps will continue in places where positive cases have been found as well as in other densely populated areas of Dharavi, said Dighavkar.

As per the Maharashtra health ministry’s latest media bulletin, on Sunday, the state added 113 new cases of COVID-19, taking the tally to 748. Total number of cases in Mumbai stand at 458.