Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Friday expressed confidence that Mumbai will see a sharp decline in coronavirus cases in the next 15-20 days.
Speaking to Press Trust of India, Tope said Joint Health Secretary Lav Agarwal was in the city on Thursday to discuss the coronavirus situation in Mumbai. "All ward officers were present at the meeting, which was also attended by (Maharashtra) Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. We discussed corrective measures that were being taken," he said.
Agarwal suggested that containment zones in Mumbai be properly demarcated and contact tracing, testing and treatment of positive patients should be done in these areas, Tope said.
Early detection will bring down the mortality rate, the minister said, adding that the government plans to increase institutional quarantine facilities. "The Centre wants us to increase disease surveillance in congested areas to stop the spread of the virus.”
With the steps taken by the government, the Covid-19 pandemic will be contained in the next 15-20 days in Mumbai, the minister assured.
The state government plans to rope in workforce from other departments if the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation falls short of manpower, the minister said, clarifying that there was no shortage of funds.
Also Read: Mumbai And Epidemics: The Bombay Plague Of 1896
Of the 17,974 Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra, 11,394 are in Mumbai alone. The city accounts for 437 of the 694 deaths recorded in the state so far.
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