Mumbai sees two-fold rise in Covid-19 cases in 15 days

A beneficiary gets a dose of vaccine at Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan And Zoo on Tuesday. Pic/Ashish Raje

The second half of May saw a two-fold increase in COVID-19 cases in Mumbai even as the number of tests conducted daily remained the same. The test positivity rate (TPR) also climbed to 3.2 per cent, from 0.34 per cent in March. However, there were no fatalities related to the infection in the city from May 16 to 31.

Mumbai reported a total of 5,888 cases of infection in May, almost a three-fold rise as compared to the previous two months. After the third wave of COVID receded in March, very few cases were reported in April with TPR, or positive cases per 100 tests, at less than 1 per cent. The month also saw a rise in hospitalisation even as fatality remained low. In May, three deaths were recorded in the first half, but there haven't been any deaths in the last two weeks.

Of the 5,888 cases reported through the month, 4,114 were registered in the last 15 days. On an average, 8,023 tests were conducted daily May 16 to 31 with a TPR of 3.21 per cent. In March and April, the TRP stood at 0.34 per cent and 0.70 per cent with a daily average of 13,999 and 8,949 tests, respectively.

"The tests are mainly from the mandatory screening before international travel and hospital surgeries. When cases started increasing slightly, we tried to increase testing but no one was ready. As the symptoms are mild now, people are not afraid of COVID-19 and want to venture out," said Dr Suresh Uchle, health officer from D ward that covers Malabar Hill, Tardeo area.

Dr Mangala Gomare, executive health officer of BMC, said, "In the past few days, hospitalisation has increased but many of the patients were admitted as a precautionary measure and very few needed oxygen support. We take a review every week and there isn't any trend of cluster of cases or particular history of cases found yet."

4,114
No. of COVID cases reported from May 16 to 31