Published 20:30 IST, April 19th 2020
Mumbai reports 135 new cases and 6 deaths; additional 154 cases added to overall tally
Mumbai on Sunday, reported 135 new cases and 6 deaths. BMC added 154 patients to the city's progressive tally, as the lab reports were received on Sunday
With the Maharashtra government allowing partially opening of orange and green zones from Monday, its financial capital - Mumbai on Sunday, reported 135 new cases and 6 deaths. BMC stated 154 patients who had tested positive between 14th and 16th April have been added to the city's progressive tally, as the lab reports were received on Sunday. The city's tally currently stands at 2798 cases and 131 deaths.
Mumbai: 135 new cases
BMC revises testing criteria
On Wednesday, 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.
Mumbai under containment
BMC has set up 438 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. As Dharavi's case tally touches 138 with 11 deaths, BMC has started screening all 7.5 lakh residents of Asia's biggest slum. Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope has stated that the growth rate of the virus is slowing in the state, which has now been echoed by the Centre too.
Maharashtra partially opens 'orange & green zones'
Earlier in the day, CM Uddhav Thackeray announced that the state government will partially resumption of economic activities from April 20 in Green and Orange zones. However, he clarified that the movement of workers and inter-district travel will not be allowed to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. Prior to PM Modi's announcement extending the lockdown till May 3, Thackeray announced that lockdown will be extended in Maharashtra at least till April 30. Currently, Maharashtra tops all states in India with 3651 cases and 211 deaths.
Updated 20:30 IST, April 19th 2020