Mumbai’s Covid-19 curve may be flattening but pandemic rages in rest of MMR

There has been some respite from Covid-19 in Mumbai but for the rest of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), the viral pandemic continues to be a major concern.

The progressive total of Covid-19 cases in MMR stands at 6,19,025 of which Mumbai accounts for 2,76,514 cases. Similarly, in MMR, a total of 18,519 people have died of Covid-19 and Mumbai alone accounts for 10,689 deaths.

The Mumbai-MMR comprises five districts – Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban and large parts of the three neighbouring districts of Thane, Palghar and Raigad. Spread over 6,355 sq km, it has nine municipal corporations, nine municipal councils and over a 1,000 villages where more than two crore people live – making it one of the most populous and fastest-growing areas of the world. Since it is the financial and business capital of the country, at this stage, curbs within MMR may not be a good idea.

CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE ONLY ON DH

In MMR, the areas of concern come under the nine municipal corporations - Greater Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivali, Navi Mumbai, Ulhasnagar, Bhiwandi-Nizampur, Vasai-Virar and Mira-Bhayandar. Besides, Mumbai has over 2.7 lakh Covid-19 cases, three adjoining corporations - Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli and Navi Mumbai - have over 50,000 cases each.

“There cannot be any let up at this stage. The Mumbai-MMR is an area of concern as the workforce in Mumbai comes from the rest of MMR. There is high road traffic movement and as time passes more people are being allowed in local trains,” said Dr Suhas Pingle, Chairman, Action Committee, Indian Medical Association-Maharashtra.

It needs to be noted that Mumbai-MMR along with neighbouring districts of Pune and Nashik form the Golden Triangle and is the biggest industrial belt of the country – with massive traffic movement of goods and people.

In Pune district, the total Covid-19 cases stand at 3,46,961 and deaths 7,291. In the Nashik district, the total cases now stands at 1,02,698 and deaths 1,681. The active cases in Mumbai-Nashik-Pune stand at 50,952 – and the health authorities are trying to bring this down further.

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According to Dr IS Gilada, an infectious diseases specialist and leading HIV/AIDS consultant, we need to enhance the rapid antibody tests, to understand the bigger picture. “This is a truly point-of-care (PoC) test, done on a drop of blood with a finger prick, can be done by anyone, and anywhere with result in just 10 to15 minutes. We can test more people and get a fair idea,” he said.

Warning of a second wave, that he feels could be like a tsunami, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has appealed people to compulsorily wear masks properly, maintain physical distancing, stress on sanitisation and avoid crowding.