The city has recorded fewer than 1,000 COVID-19 cases all week and jumbo facilities, including the NESCO exhibition centre in Goregaon and the one in BKC, have seen a drop in the number of new admissions. So, in order to conserve funds and resources, these are now cutting down on their staff, but will keep them on standby for the second wave of infections expected early next year.

At the BKC COVID facility, dean Dr Rajesh Dere said that only 35-40 per cent of the beds are currently occupied with around 450 patients, the services of 20-25 per cent of the staff are being discontinued. "There are few patients now and beds are empty. In order to save the BMC's funds and resources, we are letting nearly 70 ward boys go. We can always bring them back if cases rise," he said.