Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation ropes in doctors to keep daily COVID-19 tally low

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The number of new COVID-19 cases has been decreasing in Navi Mumbai and to ensure that there is no further spread of the virus, the corporation has started taking aggressive preventive measures.

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has roped in more than 300 general practitioners (GPs) and specialists to keep track of patients coming with influenza or COVID-19-like symptoms. It has asked the doctors to share with them the list to help the corporation keep track of such patients' health. The city has been consistently reporting a drop in daily cases.

The NMMC has decided to stay vigilant now, and with this in mind, NMMC commissioner Abhijit Bangar on Sunday held a webinar with over 300 GPs and physicians. "We have asked doctors to keep a record of all the patients coming to them with symptoms of influenza or COVID-19, and share it with us on a particular WhatsApp number at the end of every day," said an NMMC official.

"Our dedicated call centre will take health updates of these patients daily, till they get better."

The aim is to catch the disease at the early stage and provide the necessary medical care, and prevent any fatalities, official said. Besides, the NMMC has asked private doctors to keep a tab on their COVID-19 patients who are in home isolation.

"In the past couple of months, we have seen a significant number of patients in home quarantine getting sicker and needing ICU care. To avoid such a scenario in future, we have decided to isolate patients aged above 50 at quarantine facilities," said Bangar.