Mumbai: BMC activates Covid war rooms

Mumbai: Acting swiftly over the sudden spurt in Covid cases, the BMC has directed all the war rooms at ward level to keep an eye on those exhibiting Covid symptoms. These ward war rooms played a crucial role in screening patients and reaching out to them with medical facilities when the pandemic was raging.

Senior health officials said there has been a surge in the number of cases across the city hence they have activated war rooms set up in each ward. Currently, few wards have most Covid cases, so they need to be monitored closely. 

Positivity rate hovering between 12-15% daily

“Covid war rooms are already looking after health-related issues post pandemic. Moreover, they were given additional targets to resolve other problems of citizens besides health. Now, they have been specifically instructed to look for Covid cases and reach out to those who have neither taken Covid vaccines nor booster doses,” said Additional Municipal Commissioner Dr Sanjeev Kumar. 

According to the BMC data, the city's test positivity rate is hovering between 12-15% daily. Experts have linked the near 16-fold jump in the number of cases to the new variant XBB 1.16, which is driving up the cases globally. Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium has identified Omicron subvariant XBB.1.16 as the leading variant in India, making up 60% of cases. Although it has not been linked to the severity or a significantly increased oxygen dependence.

Dr Wiqar Shaikh, Professor of Medicine, Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals, said if the present surge is not curtailed, then the probability of another wave can't be ruled out.