Mumbai: BMC to study how crowded wards had fewer Covid-19 cases

Locals queue up near Minara Masjid, Pydhonie (ward B), to buy dairy products in April. File pic

What is the secret behind low numbers in crowded wards? With Covid-19 cases reducing in the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is all set to study Covid-19 trends in the first and second waves in specific wards. It has so far identified four crowded wards - B, C, M East and L - that have the lowest per lakh cases.

Police bandobast in Kurla (L ward) during restrictions in April

"While scrutinising Covid-19 figures in Mumbai, we have found that four municipal wards - B (Dongri, Bhendi Bazaar), C (Girgaon), M East (Deonar, Govandi) and L (Kurla, Chembur) - had the lowest cases per lakh people. We want to find the reasons behind the low cases," said Suresh Kakani, additional municipal commissioner.

The wards had low cases since Day One despite there being the same measures and steps for all wards. Kakani said that the Covid-19 data analysis will help the BMC be more prepared in the coming days.

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"It is time for us to look at wards and beyond Covid-19 treatment. With regard to specific wards, were Covid-19 cases low because of low testing, or were people already exposed to the infection, or were there any other diseases or factors related to fewer cases? This virus is new to all of us. Only a study can tell us the reason and guide us in future," said Kakani.

Institutes roped in

The corporation has tied up with institutes like Mumbai University and IIT-Bombay for research work. "We have tied up with some institutes and are giving them topics. They are both medical- and management-related topics. We have vast data on Covid-19 along with ward wise, health post-wise data on various other diseases and comorbidities.

A Covid-19 testing camp in Govandi (M East ward). File pics

"With the help of these institutes, we are trying to collate and see how they are interlinked," said Kakani. The highest number of cases were recorded on April 11 and the peak of the active cases was over 92,000. It was almost three times higher than the first wave when on September 18, 2020, active cases were over 34,000.

The rise in the number of cases across the wards is also related to population density. Western suburbs from Borivli to Bandra and eastern suburbs, especially with more buildings, like Ghatkopar (N ward), Mulund (T ward) had more cases. On the contrary, a ward like B that comprises densely populated areas like Dongri, Bhendi Bazaar, registered fewer cases just like in the first wave.