JOIN USAsymptomatic patients, high-risk contacts contributing to spread in Mumbai
Asymptomatic patients and high-risk contacts – who are stepping out of their homes and going to public places flouting protocols and SOPs – are contributing to the spread of Covid-19 in Mumbai.
Over the last couple of days, cases have multiplied in Mumbai and the larger Mumbai metropolitan region (MMR).
The main reasons for the increase in Mumbai are restarting of local trains in the MMR from Feb 1 for the general public, lackadaisical attitude of citizens towards masks and also patients and contacts coming to the streets.
The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has come out with a strategy to counter the situation vis-a-vis the asymptomatic patients and high-risk contacts.
The BMC has decided to lodge FIR and fine people if they break home-quarantine norms.
It has come to BMC’s notice that asymptomatic patients and high-risk contacts have visited public places like shops, malls and garden areas – risking others.
“In the last two days there have been 1,500-odd cases who are asymptomatic...there are no symptoms at all...if these 1,500 people start roaming in the streets, in a fortnight’s time it would be 15,000,” municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said.
According to him, recently a lady from Powai, who is a high-risk contact travelled out of Mumbai and stayed in Nashik for a couple of days.
“Asymptomatic patients and high-risk contacts are supposed to be in home-quarantine,” he said.
Chahal pointed out that asymptomatic patients would be stamped. “We will request them and ask them to be at home, it would be an appeal. If they do not follow, we will put them in institutional quarantine,” he said, adding that the housing society managements are also being told to ensure that unless the patients test negative they should not be allowed to step out of their homes.
Besides, BMC staff will call five times in a day with those having landline numbers to check that asymptomatic patients are at homes.