Dharavi Records 53 New Coronavirus Cases, Total Tally At 1,478

The new coronavirus cases continue to mount in Dharavi as the densely packed sprawl of shanties has turned into a fertile ground for the highly contagious pathogen to spread.

Asia’s most-crowded slum recorded 53 fresh Covid-19 cases on Friday and one death, taking the total tally to 1,478, according to data released by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. That just as India further relaxed a nationwide lockdown to boost economic activities.

“An 85-year-old female from Matunga Labour Camp died of the virus,” said Kiran Dighavkar, assistant commissioner in charge of the G/North Ward in Central Mumbai.

Among the latest to test positive are females aged between nine and 85 years and males between six and 72 years, Dighavkar said.

So far, 57 people in Dharavi—a slum spread over 240 hectares with a population of 8.5 lakh—have succumbed to the virus.

Of the 53 fresh cases reported today:

• 15 were from Matunga Labour Camp.
• Six from 90 Feet Road.
• Three from Dharavi Cross Road.
• Two each from Kumbharwada, Transit Camp, PMGP Colony, Shahu Nagar, Mukund Nagar and Abu Bakr Chawl.
• One each from Kamla Raman Seva Sangh, Matunga Police Station, Muslim Nagar, Sakinabai Chawl, AKG Nagar, Jai Bhavani CHS, Shatri Nagar, Bhartiya Chawl, Chankanabai Chawl, Anand Nagar, Thewar Apartment, Pattharwala Chawl, Kattawadi Back Chawl, Shetwadi Chawl, Azad Nagar, New Municipal Chawl and Baliga Nagar.

According to Maharashtra health ministry’s media bulletin on Friday, 2,940 new Covid-19 cases were reported, taking the total tally in the state to 44,582. The total number of cases in Mumbai stands at 27,251.