BMC had claimed it would ramp up testing after Ganpati, but it is yet to pick pace; state Covid-19 task force has been advising more tests even if cases remain steady
A health worker collects a swab sample of a train traveller at Dadar station on Friday. Pic/Ashish Raje
Even as the BMC had claimed that it would ramp up COVID testing after Ganeshotsav, the civic body continues its wait-and-watch strategy. While the test positivity ratio has remained in control barring the last few days, where the number had risen sharply, 38,000-40,000 tests are being conducted in the city every day, shows official data.
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With Mumbai in the middle of the festive season, there is a need to increase tests, said officials. Sources said the state COVID task force has been advising to maintain the high rate of tests even if the number of cases in the city are steady and not growing.
During Ganeshotsav, the count of tests had stayed between 45,000 and 49,000. As festivities continue in the city, the numbers of tests are expected to go above 45,000 daily, said sources. At the peak of the second wave, about 60,000 tests were conducted daily in Mumbai.
Officials said the dynamics of tests have changed in the past month. Unlike earlier months, more RT-PCR tests are being done nowadays than the rapid antigen method. The city sees about 22,000 RT-PCR tests a day compared with 16,000 RATs.
A civic official told mid-day, “We have instructed our field staff to continue tracing those who must have come from their natives and get those people tested. But with the number of cases being stable, the natural demand for tests by the citizens in the last few days may also have dipped substantially. However, the alarm bells are not completely out as the numbers did shoot up to 600 after almost three months and thus our focus is on increased testing to isolate those who may be affected at the early stages.”
45k-49k
No. of daily tests conducted in city during Ganeshotsav
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