Battered by the Covid-19 second wave last year, Mumbai is quite prepared to take on the third wave with the local administration and municipal body already started taking adequate measures to ensure oxygen scarcity does not haunt the city this time.
The limit for oxygen was upped by 690 metric tonnes as Covid-19 cases rose in the city. Medicines were stocked including anti-viral pills at various hospitals for treating patients before the third wave began. The city’s municipal body was able to activate over 30,000 beds as Mumbai started reporting spike in daily cases. Private hospitals were roped in to add another 7,500 beds initially, which is now increased to 12,500.
Maharashtra Covid-19 task force revealed recces were done at Jumbo Covid centres, BMC-run hospitals and private healthcare facilities three months in advance. “We said that cases will rise, it can also go up to 50,000, but we have prepared for this three months earlier at jumbo centres, government and private hospitals. There is a meeting with municipal commissioner and chief minister Uddhav Thackeray every day regarding bed allocation. What’s good this time is that we are not getting a single stress call by patients or doctors, complaints like one is not able to breathe, or oxygen is alarmingly low, and is not happening. People are reporting mild symptoms,” said Dr Gautam Bhansali, Advisor, Covid Task force, Maharashtra.
Guidelines for societies and home isolation of patients are being reviewed and renewed time and again. Strict do’s and don’ts have been laid down for citizens to ensure Covid-19 norms are followed. Though Mumbai might be seeing a downward trend in daily cases, mayor Kishori Pednekar is out and about on ground zero educating the public on the importance of maintaining Covid-appropriate behaviour in these times. “People of Mumbai are following the CM’s request, they are seeing how Covid is unfolding, they don’t want a lockdown, people are wearing masks. We are aggressively testing, tracing and treating,” said the mayor.
The highly transmissible Omicron induced third wave has gripped public transport employees, police officers, politicians and more importantly, health care workers, including doctors. Over 400 of city’s doctors tested positive in matter of days. Dean of BKC Jumbo Covid centre said, “When doctors turn positive, it’s a concern as they have to isolate themselves. Once they test negative after seven days, they can resume work. But in such a period, how will patients get treated?”
Though there are still certain challenges for the maximum city in this third wave, and one cannot just predict its end with certainty. But timely action and measures have ensured that life or lifeline of the city doesn’t come to a sudden halt.
Mumbai reported 11,674 Covid cases, registered a drop of 14.66% over Monday. The test positivity rate also plunged from 23% to 18% in 24 hours.
Read all the Latest India News here
Comments
0 comment