BJP lashes out at BMC for tweaking testing norms, alleges failure in curbing COVID-19

On Saturday, BJP slammed Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for its failure in curbing spre of vel coronavirus in Mumbai. In a letter written to Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, BJP MLA Ameet Satam claimed that BMC Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi h me "disastrous decisions" which h explanation. Maintaining that frequent change in testing rms was extremely shocking, Satam observed that latest rms of testing were t in line with guidelines issued by Indian Council of Medical Research. 

According to him, BMC's move would ensure a "false reduction" in numbers and furr spre of COVID-19 even after end of lockdown period. He also contended that decision of allocating beds for COVID-19 patients h boomeranged on ministration and resulted in reduction of beds for or patients. BJP MLA urged CM to make Chief Secretary responsible for all decisions of BMC and instruct him to keep a close eye on civic body's functioning. 

Re full letter here: 

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In his letter, decision to allow vegetable markets at BMC grounds and gardens also drew flak. ditionally, Satam questioned civic body's tice banning sanitization after initially coming up with rms regarding this. Mentioning case of a patient from Juhu who was me to wait for more than 10 hours before being mitted at Trauma Care Centre in Jogeshwari, he accused BMC staff of pressurizing aforesaid patient to lie about his experience. 

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BMC tweaks testing rms

Only 77 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Mumbai on Friday, a sharp decline from 177 positive cases recorded on Thursday. This is being attributed to a change in BMC's testing protocol whereby asymptomatic contacts of COVID-19 patients will t be tested. However, BMC's own data shows that at least 65% to 70% of coronavirus cases in Mumbai till w have been asymptomatic. civic body's rationale behind latest testing rms is to focus testing on those persons who need it most. It explained that testing on close contacts of a COVID-19 patient shall be carried out between 5th and 14th day as per ICMR guidelines to reduce false negatives. 

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