Dharavi Records 26 New Coronavirus Cases, Total Tally At 1,353
So far, 56 people in Dharavi have succumbed to the virus.
Covid-19 infections continue to mount in Asia’s most crowded slum, just as India further relaxed a nationwide lockdown to boost economic activities.
Dharavi recorded 26 fresh coronavirus cases on Tuesday, taking the total tally to 1,353, according to data released by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
Among the latest to test positive are women aged between 20 and 70 years and males aged between 5 and 85 years, said Kiran Dighavkar, assistant commissioner in charge of the G/North Ward in Central Mumbai.
So far, 56 people in Dharavi—a sprawl of shanties spread over 240 hectares with a population of 8.5 lakh and over 13,000 small businesses—have succumbed to the virus.
“Under Mission Dharavi, we are making sure that maximum people shall be screened and suspects are quarantined and tested. A total of 360,000 people screened and counting,” said Dighavkar. “Screening maximum people from multiple sources as many times as possible and isolating them and testing them is the only way to tackle this pandemic at a place like Dharavi.”
There are multiple ways of screening people in Dharavi, according to Dighavkar:
- Door-to-door (with the help of private practitioners)
- Fever camps
- 350 private clinics are in operation for past one month
- Nine dispensaries are carrying out routine check-ups
- Senior citizens survey
- Since Monday, Smile Foundation has placed its van with doctors in high-risk zones and screening people and referring them to quarantine centres.
- A PAS van is driving around in Dharavi, appealing people to contact Dharavi Municipal School if any coronavirus-like symptoms are seen.
Of the 26 fresh cases reported today:
- Eight were from Matunga Labour Camp
- Three from Chamda Bazaar
- Two each from New Municipal Chawl and Sheth Chawl
- One each from Jai Bhavani CHS, Dharavi Police Chawl, Barry Co. Murga, AKG Nagar, Kumbharwad, Parshi Chawl, Indira Nagar, Sitaram Koli Chawl, Azad Nagar, Sant Kakaiyya Marg and Transit Camp.
According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Maharashtra now has 35,058 coronavirus cases. India's tally crossed the 1-lakh mark today.