Dharavi sees 8 new Coronavirus cases in 24 hrs as BMC plans to test all 7.5 lakh residents

Reporting more Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases from Asia's biggest slum- Dharavi, BMC, on Friday, has stated that eight people have tested positive for the pandemic. Sources report that while five were from previously reported Mukund Nagar camp area, three others were from new areas - Rajiv Gandhi Chawl, Murugan Chawl, and PGMP colony. The total number of cases in Dharavi has risen to 28, including 3 deaths.

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Entire Dharavi to be tested

On Thursday, Mumbai's municipal body (BMC) has chalked up a plan to test all 7.5 lakh residents in Asia's biggest slum - Dharavi within next 15 days, as per sources. Dharavi which is one of listed hotspots in Mumbai, also had 10 Markaz attendees stay in the locality before leaving for Kerala. Mumbai has reported 218 cases and 10 deaths in the past 24 hours and has a total of 993 Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases.

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Dharavi witnesses 3 deaths

On the same day, a 70-year-old from Kalyanawadi passed away after being infected with COVID-19. The previous fatalities were a 56-year old male who succumbed to the pandemic before he could be treated and another woman resident. After the first case was reported from Dharavi, BMC created several containment zones throughout the place, putting thousands of people under restrictions. With over 1 million people living in five square kilometer area, Dharavi is Mumbai's most densely populated area. BMC has set up 381 containment zones throughout Mumbai.

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Maharashtra under lockdown

On March 14, the Thackeray government invoked the Epidemic Diseases Act declaring the Coronavirus as an epidemic - declaring all gyms, swimming pools, malls, theatres, pubs shut in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur, Pimpri-Chinchwad till March 31 amid the rising cases of Coronavirus. With the railways shutting down its services on March 22 marking 'Janta Curfew', the Maharashtra government extended a state-wide curfew, stopping all transport services across districts. After PM Modi announcing a 21-day lockdown, Maharashtra too enforced the same, witnessing the highest cases -1364, with 97 deaths.

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