As new COVID-19 cases in Mumbai cross the 500 mark, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) administrator Iqbal Singh Chahal issued directions on Wednesday to increase testing on a war footing, especially with monsoon around the corner.
Asking all departments of the civic body to be prepared, Mr. Chahal said jumbo field hospitals must be kept adequately staffed and on alert from now. The Malad jumbo COVID centre has to be put to use on priority, if hospitalisation increases in the coming days.
He has asked for testing labs to be pro-active and fully staffed, while drive for vaccination in the 12-18 years category and booster doses is pushed harder.
The new COVID patient graph in Mumbai, and in the State itself, is on rise. Mumbai registered 506 new cases on May 31 while the State recorded 711 cases. Mumbai recorded 318 new patients on May 30 and 375 on May 29.
Assistant Municipal Commissioners (AMCs) in charge of wards must review the status of war rooms to ensure they are fully equipped with staff, medical teams and ambulances. They must take daily reviews of COVID situation in their wards and make strong intervention wherever required. Private hospitals have also been asked to be on alert.
AMCs have been directed to visit jumbo hospitals in their jurisdictions to ensure they are monsoon ready with de-watering pumps, structural stability certification, fire safety mechanisms, house keeping, catering, paramedical and medical staff and oxygen plants.
