In a good sign for Mumbai this festive season, the figure dips below ICMR-recommended 10, with even the number of deaths reducing drastically this month
Swab testing at the COVID Care Centre in Shivaji Park, Dadar. Pics/Satej Shinde
This festive season has some good news with the Test Positivity Rate (TPR) in the city at an all-time low of 7.5 per cent, though the average number of tests per day reduced to 11,000 in the first two weeks of November from 13,000 in October. The average number of daily new cases has also reduced to half that of October. The number of deaths also reduced, but the share of deaths of elderly people has increased. While there was a surge in new cases after the Ganesh festival and September, October recorded more than one lakh patients, now the city is experiencing few cases.
The TPR shows the number of people who test positive in 100 people. In the early months (April to June) of the pandemic, the TPR was above 20 per cent.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) introduced more options for tests to increase the testing.
Residents of MHB colony get tested for COVID-19 at an antigen testing camp at Chunabhatti, Dahisar
The testing doubled but the TPR was above 10 per cent showing a high level of transmission. But in November the TPR is at an all-time low though the number of tests per day reduced.
In October, on an average, more than 13,000 tests were carried out per day, and the average number of new cases was above 1,600. In November though, the number of daily tests reduced to around 11,000 and the average number of new cases declined to 800, nearly half that of October. The TPR at 7.5 per cent is lower than recommendation of ICMR (10 per cent).
Even the number of deaths has reduced marginally. In the past 16 days, from October 28 to November 13, there were 386 deaths reported, out of which 10 were below the age group of 40. But at least 89 patients who died were between 40 to 60 years of age and 318 were above 60 years of age.
"The number of cases have reduced drastically within the last fortnight. Even the TPR of antigen tests among front line workers like BMC staff, police is less than 2 per cent. Earlier it was about 5 per cent," said a senior officer from the BMC. He added that the COVID-19 pandemic is still not over and people should maintain social distancing and wear masks to reduce the risk.
11,000
The average number of daily tests in the city in November
Keep scrolling to read more news
Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.
Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
