Mumbai: Number of new COVID-19 cases shows fall, count at 2,120

The number of coronavirus patients in Mumbai rose to 2,120 on Friday with 77 more persons testing positive for infection, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.

The death toll in the megapolis due to the pandemic reached 121 as five more patients died, the civic body said. "Out of these five, three had co-morbidities (existing health issues) and two had ago-related factors," a BMC release said.

Between April 10 to 14, the daily increase in COVID-19 cases in Mumbai topped 200, but since Wednesday there has been a decline.

Notably, the BMC has now decided to test suspected patients -- who have been in close contact with confirmed patients -- only on the fifth day after isolating them instead of testing them immediately.

As per the BMC, 37 patients were discharged from hospitals on Friday, which took the number of persons from the city who recovered from infection to 239.

During the day, 201 persons were also admitted to hospitals for possible exposure to coronavirus. The BMC has started seven Corona Care Centers with total capacity of 519 beds. As many as 473 patients who have tested positive for virus but do not have any symptoms have been isolated at these centres.

Both high-risk and low risk contacts of Covid -19 positive patients are advised to remain in home quarantine, the civic body said.

"Some 57,700 such individuals are home quarantined and 11,368 have completed 14 days of home quarantine as of April 16," the BMC said.