With rising Covid numbers, masks making a slow return in Mumbai

Amid a spike in Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra, the civic administration in India’s financial capital of Mumbai has come out with a series of measures beefing up the health apparatus and asking masks to be compulsory in all civic hospitals.

According to the Union Health Ministry, there is a possibility of an increase in the number of Covid patients in the month of May.

According to the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme of the Public Health Department, the total active Covid-19 cases in the state now stands at 4,667 while the same for Mumbai was 1,454.

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During the day, 328 new cases and one death were reported in the state taking the progressive total to 81,50,257 and 1,48,460, respectively.

In the last 24 hours, Mumbai reported 95 cases while the same for the larger Mumbai metropolitan region was 228.

The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday reviewed the preparedness in the wake of the spike with Municipal Commissioner and Administrator Dr Iqbal Singh Chahal asking its staff to wear masks and making masks compulsory in civic hospitals.

“Although it is not mandatory, senior citizens above 60 years of age should wear masks as a precautionary measure while walking in crowded places. Also, it will be mandatory for all the employees, patients, and visitors to wear masks in all BMC hospitals,” Dr Chahal said.

According to the prediction, the number of patients exposed to Covid infection is expected to increase in the coming month of May. Therefore, while stating that it is necessary to keep hospital beds ready at BMC as well as private hospitals, he has also given various instructions,” Dr Chahal told the meeting attended by officials of the civic body.

He asked the Central Purchase Department should review the availability of gloves, masks, PPE kits, as well as the stock of medicines and other medical equipment required by all the hospitals of BMC and commence the purchasing process, if required. “It should be ensured that there will be no shortage of any medical requirement,” he said.

“Early detection of Covid patients can prevent the spread of infection. Owing to this, the number of Covid tests should be increased to result in easy treatment,” he said, indicating that tests would be enhanced in the days to come.

On medical oxygen, Dr Chahal said: “As the number of Covid patients increases, the need for intensive care may also increase. Considering this, it is important for all the hospitals to examine and audit their medical oxygen plants to ensure that they are functioning well and there is a balance between the demand and supply of oxygen, at any given point of time.”

All Ward War Rooms, which have played a vital role in patient management during previous waves of Covid, would be urgently reviewed to ensure that they are functional with all the necessary manpower and machinery to deal with any situation. "The responsibility of the Ward War Room will be important in providing an immediate response to citizens during the Covid spike,” he said.

“All private hospitals in Mumbai should equip their entire system for the treatment of Covid patients, considering the increasing number of patients, and ensure that there is no shortage. Patients undergoing surgery should be tested for Covid in all hospitals. If such a patient is found to be infected with Covid and the surgery is not an emergency, then the surgery should be postponed,” Dr Chahal said.