Dharavi reports 10 new COVID-19 cases; count rises to 2,199

The COVID-19 tally in Dharavi, Mumbai's biggest slum, grew to 2,199 on Wednesday after it reported 10 new cases, an official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.

As no fresh death was reported from the area, its fatality count has remained unchanged at 81, he said. Of the 2,199 COVID-19 positive patients, 1,100 have already been discharged from hospitals and the slum now has 1,018 active cases, the official added.

Spread over 2.5 square kilometres, Dharavi is the largest slums in Asia with 6.5 lakh population. Dharavi had on Tuesday reported just five coronavirus positive cases, the lowest since April 5.

The Shiv Sena, which is in power in Maharashtra and the BMC, on Wednesday hailed the "defeat" of the coronavirus in Dharavi as a befitting reply of the party-led government to its critics. In an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana', it also thanked residents of Dharavi for adhering to the lockdown norms and following various other measures.

(Photo Credit: PTI)