According to a BMC bulletin, with new additions, the COVID-19 tally jumped to 9,39,867, while the death toll climbed to 16,413. This was the fourth day in a row when the city has witnessed a dip in daily COVID-19 infections.
Mumbai reported 11,647 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, a drop of 2,001 from the previous day and fourth straight day of downward trend, taking the tally to 9,39,867, while two more patients succumbed to the infection, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.
The metropolis has reported 2,001 fewer cases than Monday despite 2,855 more COVID-19 tests carried out in the last 24 hours. A day before, Mumbai had reported 13,648 COVID-19 cases on the back of 59,342 tests, and also five fatalities.
The coronavirus positivity rate in the financial capital also dipped to 18.75 per cent from over 23 per cent a day ago. The rate indicates the percentage of people who test positive for the virus of those overall who have been tested.
After the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020, Mumbai reported its highest-ever 20,971 cases on January 7 (Friday) and since then the number of daily infections has been declining. Mumbai had reported 20,318 on Saturday last, 19,474 on Sunday and 13,648 on Monday. The highest daily case count during the second wave was 11,163, recorded on April 4, 2021.
Out of the 11,647 new cases, 83 per cent cases, or 9,667, are asymptomatic, and only 851 patients have been admitted to hospitals, while just 76 are on oxygen support, said the bulletin. According to the BMC, 62,097 coronavirus tests were carried out in the city in the last 24 hours, up from 59,242 on Monday. With this, the tally of COVID-19 tests rose to 1,43,25,144.
As many as 7,283 out of 35,573 hospital beds, or 19.9 per cent of the total, are currently occupied by coronavirus patients in the city, the civic body said. Municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said daily COVID-19 cases and positivity rate have came down significantly in the last few days. "Mumbai’s positivity came down from 30 per cent to 20 per cent in the last two days. Daily cases are down from 20,700 to 11,647 in the last four days," he said.
He said 851 hospital beds got occupied on Tuesday, but 966 beds got vacated during the day following the discharge of coronavirus patients. The civic commissioner said "80 per cent of the hospital beds are vacant." Chahal said 46 deaths have been recorded in Mumbai in 22 days of the third coronavirus wave, which started on December 21, 2021, meaning an average of two fatalities per day. He appealed to citizens not to panic and instead strictly follow COVID-19-related rules like wearing face masks.
The growth rate of COVID-19 cases in Mumbai was 1.87 per cent between January 4 and January 10, while the case doubling rate was 36 days, as per the bulletin. Presently, Mumbai has 1,00,523 active COVID-19 cases after 14,980 patients were discharged during the day, it said. The cumulative number of discharged patients in Mumbai rose to 8,820,313, while the city has a coronavirus recovery rate of 87 per cent, the bulletin said.
Significantly, the city has witnessed a sharp drop in the number of sealed buildings and containment zones in slums and 'chawls' (old row tenements). As per the bulletin, Mumbai currently has 63 sealed buildings, but zero containment zones. A day ago, the city had 168 sealed buildings and 30 containment zones. The civic body seals buildings if occupants in 20 per cent of the flats, or at least 10 residents, are found infected with COVID-19.
With inputs from PTI.