Mumbai's COVID-19 doubling rate increases to 50 days, discharge rate at 70 pc: BMC Chief

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 13 (ANI): Amid COVID-19 cases surge in the state, Mumbai's doubling rate for COVID-19 positive cases has increased to 50 days while the discharge rate stands at 70 per cent, said Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Chief on Monday.
While several parts of Maharashtra especially cities in Mumbai Metropolitan region including Kalyan-Dombiwali, Thane and New Mumbai are witnessing a surge in COVID-19 positive cases, a breather comes for Mumbai.
Speaking to ANI, BMC Chief Iqbal Singh Chahal said: "We are in total control of the situation. Although there is no need for complete lockdown in the city, we need to be get-going with our efforts to curb the spread of the virus. The Doubling rate of COVID positive cases have increased to 50 days now, which is the highest in the country. Subsequently, the discharge rate of infected patients is at 70 per cent now."
BMC's recent policy of COVID-19 testing without a doctor's prescription has resulted in better results. "After our open testing policy, where people were allowed to do COVID-19 test without doctor's prescriptions, had helped in a big way. The implementation of this policy in the city has boosted the testing capacity from 4,000 to 6,800 per day," Chahal said.
"Now the total number of positive cases in Mumbai has come down from 1,400 to 1,200 and of this, symptomatic patients are very low," Chahal said adding, "In Mumbai, out of 1,400 to 1,200 positive cases, the number of symptomatic patients is less than 200 per day."
Previously, BMC has also improved its hospital systems for COVID-19 care in the city. Looking at the current numbers, we only need 200 beds per day and we have 7,000 COVID-19 beds and 250 ICU beds, which are vacant in COVID-19 facilities and hospitals in the city as of July 12, stated BMC Chief.
Quoting a recent research data given by Mumbai University, BMC Chief said, "Mumbai's R (rate of people getting infected) has come to 1.1 from 9. This shows every infected individual was infecting 9 other people in the city. This has come down to 1.1 in Mumbai. If we go with the WHO standard, if R goes anywhere below 1.1, this would mean that COVID-19 Pandemic is over. We are putting in efforts to reach below 1.1." (ANI)