What Mumbai’s Doing To Counter Coronavirus Outbreak

On March 11, Mumbai, the financial capital of India, recorded its first two cases of the novel coronavirus. Five days later, that number shot up to 14 in the city and its suburbs.

The civic authority of one of the world’s most densely populated cities has one testing centre and is setting up another. These would cater to the city and its surround region that is home to more than 2 crore (20 million) people. Maharashtra has already shut malls and has advised people to avoid social gatherings in its capital and also unnecessary travel as part of its preventive measures.

Here are some of the steps taken by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and the Maharashtra Health Ministry for suspected cases of Covid-19 in Mumbai:

• At present, there’s only one centre for the testing of novel coronavirus in Mumbai, at BMC’s Kasturba Gandhi Hospital. The civic body is now setting up an additional laboratory at KEM Hospital in Parel for Covid-19 testing.
• From Wednesday, the testing capacity at Kasturba Gandhi Laboratory will be increased, enabling it to conduct 350 tests per day, from 100 at present. It takes 4-5 hours to get the results of one sample.
• KEM Hospital will also activate a system to conduct 250 tests per day.
• The health ministry has decided to increase isolation beds in Kasturba Hospital from 80 to 125.
• BMC acquired Seven Hills Hospital in Marol which currently has 500 beds; it plans to add 500 beds after completion of some civil work. All asymptomatic passengers from the airport would be sent to this hospital for quarantine.
• As many as 11 patients have been put under quarantine at the Seven Hills Hospital, where a total of 24 doctors are working in three shifts throughout the day to screen passengers.
• BMC is also in talks with hotels located near the airport to activate more quarantine facilities for incoming travellers.
• For now, BMC has also “activated” Mirage Hotel near the airport where it would set up a paid quarantine facility for international travellers. The guests will be home-quarantined after 24 hours.
• The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai directed that officers at airports should designate specific rooms as quarantine centres in consultation with management.
• ACs of the wards should requisite rooms from Miraj (Madison Group)-- 20 rooms; ITC Maratha 100 rooms; PWD Guest House at Andheri 70 rooms; Niranta Airport Transit Hotel 50 rooms.
• These hotels will be used for counselling passengers from high-risk countries and if needed for quarantining non-symptomatic passengers.

Sources: BMC Statements, Maharashtra Health Ministry, verified twitter account of Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope and Brihanmumbai Mahanagarpalika statement.