Mumbai reports 357 COVID-19 cases and 11 deaths in 24 hours, city tally soars to 4589

An erratic up-down trend has been seen in the country's financial capital amid the Coronavirus (COVID-19) as Mumbai reported 357 new cases on Friday, with 11 deaths, stated the BMC. The report stated that 168 of the 357 had tested positive in the various testing labs across the city between 21 April and 22 April. The city's tally currently stands at 4589, with 179 deaths and 595 discharged.

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Mumbai: 357 new cases

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Maharashtra to start plasma therapy

Earlier in the day, the state government stated that plasma therapy clinical trials will begin soon on critical COVID-19 patients at Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Solapur in the institutes run by the Ministry of Medical Education. Moreover, state Health minister Rajesh Tope has stated that the state currently has only five hotspots - Mumbai, Pune, Malegaon, Nashik, and Nagpur. Swinging into action, BMC has started surveying people above 60 years of age who are obese, diabetic, and hypertensive- checking their oxygen levels on a ward-basis and picked up for further action, if they reveal low oxygen levels.

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BMC revises testing criteria

Last week, BMC revised COVID-19 testing criteria, differing from the ICMR guidelines to 'avoid unnecessary testing of asymptomatic persons'. The new guidelines exclude asymptomatic high-risk persons from testing but quarantines them. Swabs will be taken only if the asymptomatic person develops symptoms within the 14 days of quarantine. Moreover, high-risk contacts may be tested on the between 5th & 14th day of quarantine after 'careful observation', states the BMC - inspite CM Thackeray claiming 70 to 75% of the patients had very mild or no symptoms.

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Mumbai under containment

BMC has set up 861 containment zones throughout Mumbai since the rise in the number of cases. With over 1 million people living in five square kilometer area, Dharavi is Mumbai's most densely populated area and has been under severe scrutiny - recording 220 cases with 14 deaths. BMC is also going to distribute anti-malarial Hydroxychloroqune tablets among Dharavi residents as a preventive measure. Moreover, the Centre's inter-ministerial team which has visited several areas of Mumbai's containment zones - has recommended adding more isolation beds as the number cases rise in Mumbai.