Active Covid cases keep rising, but BMC calm as positivity rate under 1%, deaths low

MUMBAI: The state and Mumbai reported a dip in cases and fatalities on Thursday, but active cases continued to creep up.
The state reported 3,595 cases and 45 deaths, taking the cumulative tally to 65.1 lakh cases and 1.4 lakh fatalities. Active cases jumped by over 300 to 49,342 on Thursday, including 101 in Mumbai. Cases in the city rose by 446, compared to 515 on Wednesday, and only two deaths were recorded.
“We conducted 44,649 tests in Mumbai and 446 tested positive. While the number of daily cases has been going up and down, the positivity rate is below 1% and the death rate too is low,” said BMC additional commissioner Suresh Kakani, adding that the civic health machinery will continue to be on high alert. “We have beds, oxygen support and medicines to tackle the rise,” he added. At present, the overall case tally in Mumbai is 7.4 lakh and the toll stands at 16,039.
State government officials said the dip in testing due to the festive season is a cause for worry and districts have been asked to ramp up testing. There are nearly 17 districts which have fewer than 100 active cases, and the testing in these districts have dropped significantly. “Once devotees start returning to the cities, they should be screened for symptoms and tested if required,” said an official, referring to people returning after the Ganpati festival.