Maharashtra’s capital Mumbai has been recording a spike in the number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases over the last few weeks. The spread of the disease, which was slowing down, has once again accelerated the city.
In September last year, when Covid-19 was at its peak, Mumbai recorded nearly 2,000 cases daily towards the end of the month, according to Maharashtra government’s Covid-19 dashboard. The trend continued for a few weeks, but then the daily caseload started dropping.
By November, the city was recording over 1,000 cases daily and the number fell further in December, with the average daily cases hovering between 600-700, according to the state government’s dashboard.
Buoyed by the falling number of Covid-19 cases, the Maharashtra government brought in some relaxations, allowing cinema halls to reopen from November 5. India’s worst-hit state was on road to recovery.
The trend continued till January, and the state government further opened the local trains in February.
But in the last two weeks of this month, the cases have spiked again. An analysis of the daily number of cases in Maharashtra government’s dashboard, the number of daily cases has risen from 599 to 897, the city’s sharpest single-day spike since November 29 when the daily caseload stood at 940.
On February 14, the daily Covid-19 cases in Mumbai were 645, by February 17, it had increased to 721. The number stood at 736 on February 18, 823 on February 19 and 897 yesterday, according to Maharashtra government’s Covid-19 dashboard. Mumbai’s Covid-19 tally now stands at 3,18,207.
The doubling rate of cases in the city has dropped to 371 days, down from 393 on Friday, 417 on Thursday, 445 on Tuesday, and 455 on Monday. The growth rate of cases has now increased to 0.19%, up from 0.18% on Friday, 0.17% on Thursday, 0.16% on Tuesday and 0.15% on Monday.
The areas of concern are the Mumbai suburban areas where the weekly cases have risen by 19 per cent. In Nagpur, Amravati, Nashik, Akola and Yavatmal the weekly cases have increased by 33 per cent, 47 per cent, 23 per cent, 55 per cent and 48 per cent, respectively, the ministry underscored.
Maharashtra too is grappling with a spike in Covid-19 cases. On Friday, it reported 6,112 new cases, the highest daily addition in 84 days, taking the caseload to 20,87,632. The last time Maharashtra had reported over 6,112 cases was on November 27 last year (6,185 cases).
Dr Sanjay Oak, who heads the coronavirus task force comprising senior specialist doctors, blamed the laxity shown by people. “People are not following Covid-appropriate behaviour. They need to restrain themselves,” he said.
Dr Oak, however, ruled out that it is the “second wave” of the coronavirus pandemic in Maharashtra.
Maharashtra Government’s Principal Secretary (Health) Pradeep Vyas also blamed people’s “indiscipline and negligence” for the spike.
“There is laxity in following protocols. People are not adhering to Covid-appropriate behaviour,” he said.
“Authorities have to tell people that coronavirus is still around and the masses should not be lax and negligent,” Vyas said.
Between Monday and Friday, the state added 23,354 cases, much higher than the 15,149 cases that were added in the same duration the previous week.
Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/in-10-days-mumbai-s-daily-covid-19-cases-near-nov-level-second-wave-fear-looms-101613900864923.html