Doubling rate of COVID-19 cases in Mumbai rises to 34 days: BMC

In some positive news for the state worst-hit by the coronavirus pandemic in India, the doubling rate of cases in Maharashtra’s capital city, Mumbai, has climbed up to 34 days.

According to data released by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the doubling rate of COVID-19 cases over the weekend shot up to 34 days as compared to 15 days about a month ago.

To date, Mumbai has over 65,000 COVID-19 positive cases and the death toll of 3,600 is the highest in the country. However, with the recovery rate standing at 50 per cent, the growth rate in the state capital, from June 13-19, stood at 2.05 per cent.

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In a bid to contain the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus, last month, the BMC started the Chase-the-Virus initiative under which the number of cases in the worst-hit areas in Mumbai such as Asia’s largest slum, Dharavi, has gone below 10.

The sudden spike in cases was reported from areas including Malad, Kandivli, Borivali, and Dahisar areas in the western suburbs of Mumbai.

Meanwhile, the BMC introduced war rooms at all the 24 wards to provide quicker response to calls regarding COVID-19-related information and bed availability.

Even as the Mumbai police wants a complete lockdown in these areas, the BMC believes that the number of cases will come down in the coming days.