HomeHealthcare NewsBMC Chief Exclusive: 2.07 lakh new COVID-19 cases registered in Mumbai under second wave

BMC Chief Exclusive: 2.07 lakh new COVID-19 cases registered in Mumbai under second wave

The state government is mulling on imposing lockdown to 'Break the Chain' amid a surge in coronavirus cases.

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By CNBCTV18.com April 13, 2021, 12:52:22 PM IST (Updated)

BMC Chief Exclusive: 2.07 lakh new COVID-19 cases registered in Mumbai under second wave
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal on Tuesday said 2.07 lakh new cases were registered in Mumbai under the second wave of COVID-19. The Maharashtra government is mulling on imposing lockdown to 'Break the Chain' amid a surge in coronavirus cases. Currently,


"Current lockdown is very different from the lockdown we had last year. The current lockdown is not creating great inconvenience to people. Airports, banks, online food delivery all are functional over the weekend. Even if the steps are repeated, it will not cause inconvenience to the people," Chahal said.

Chahal said 58,000 people were vaccinated over the last weekend. Private hospitals undertaking the inoculation drive were shut over the weekend due to a shortage of vaccines.

Also read: Hotels to act as COVID-19 centres; patients to move after doctor's recommendation, says BMC Chief

He added that the mortality rate is at 0.2 percent despite a rapid rise in the cases. "38,000 people needed care and hospitals. We are adding 100 ICUs every day. We will add another 1500 beds this week. We will build one jumbo greenfield hospital which will add 9000 beds. We expect 31,000 beds by May," he said.

Chahal said private hospital chains are being asked to submit Expression of Interest for new jumbos. "We are hiring two 5-star hotels in South Mumbai & BKC side, which will act as COVID centres. Patients will be moved to these facilities post doctor's recommendation."

He mentioned that doctors and nursing staff will be posted at hotels and the experiment will begin soon. The Bombay Hospital is on board for this program, he said, adding, "We will initially take over hotels with only 50-60 beds which can work with a skeletal staff."

On the issue of shortage of Remdesivir, Chahal said all the seven manufacturers have been running out of stock. "We asked for 200,000 vials of Remdesivir which can cover 35,000 patients. We opened tenders for Remdesivir, and only Mylan participated since others are out of stock. Each patient needs atleast 6 vials of Remdesivir. We paid a higher price for Remdesivir due to its shortage," he said which responding to BJP leader Devendra Fadnvais's remarks on Remdesivir.
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