COVID-19 cases doubled faster in Mumbai last week: BMC

The coronavirus cases doubled at a faster rate in Mumbai last week as compared to the previous week and the average growth rate of the viral infection also went up, according to the city civic body.

On August 8, the country's financial capital recorded the slowest doubling rate of 89 days and the lowest growth rate of 0.79 per cent. On Saturday, the rate of doubling became faster at 83 days and the average growth rate of COVID-19 cases rose to 0.84 per cent.

The average doubling rate in the city again slowed a bit on Sunday to 85 days and the growth rate decreased to 0.82 per cent, as per figures of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

The city's D-ward, which includes areas like Peddar Road and Malabar Hill, had the fastest doubling rate of 50 days on Sunday, while the M-East ward, that includes Chembur (East) area, had the slowest doubling rate of 119 days.

The D-ward also had the highest growth rate of 1.40 per cent, while the M-East ward had the lowest growth rate of 0.58 per cent as on Sunday.

The average doubling and growth rates are calculated taking COVID-19 cases of past seven days into consideration. Till Sunday, Mumbai reported 1,28,726 COVID-19 cases and 7,133 deaths due to the disease.

On June 15, the city had an average doubling rate of 28 days and the average growth rate of 2.49 per cent. On July 31, the doubling rate improved to 77 days and growth rate to 0.9 per cent, according to BMC data.

(Photo Credit: PTI)