Sudhir Suryawanshi By

Express News Service

MUMBAI: The community transmission of coronavirus has apparently started in Mumbai and its adjoining localities as the fresh positive cases emerging from there are neither immediate contacts of patients nor have any travel history.

Mumbai has 525 coronavirus positive cases and has reported 34 deaths so far. In its report, the Brihan Mumbai Corporation (BMC) said that out of 34 people who died of COVID-19, 11 had no pre-history of ailments.

According to BMC, the most number of coronavirus cases have been reported from slum pockets and similar highly dense areas of Mumbai. The G South ward of the BMC has got 78 cases - the largest in the city. In this ward, most of the patient are reported from fishermen colony of Worli, Prabhadevi and Lower Parel.

The D ward which has Byculla in its limits has got the second-highest number of cases. Localities such as Dharavi, Kurla, Nehru Nagar, Bandra and Andheri too have a significant number of positive cases.

"We are more worried and concerned about the health workers and doctors who have been tested coronavirus positive. In Mumbai, more than 50 people from the medical fraternity are detected as virus-positive. The community spreading has therefore started as we see a surge in a number of cases from various parts of the city. They have neither international travel history nor immediate contact. We are declaring these areas as contaminated cluster and subsequently sealing them," sais senior BMC officer.

However, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said that the local administration was quick to deal with the crisis. Due to BMC's proactive measures, Mumbai has less number of cases compared to other metropolitan cities around the world.

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope visited Dharavi and other slum areas to check and review the situation. "I have asked to increase the number of ventilators and testing. It will help detect more cases and subsequently taken quick measures to prevent the outbreak of coronavirus. The situation is under control," Tope said.

BMC health officer Dr Daksha Shah told The New Indian Express that the community transmission is there but it is not widespread taking into consideration the population of Mumbai.

Ram Dutonde, the spokesperson of BMC, said Mumbai has reported close to 600 cases till 7th April because of four reasons. "More cases in a single pocket of Worli area, several staff members of Workhart hospital tested positive after incidental exposure to a Covid-19 case. Besides, Mumbai has 12 million population with high density where a rise in the cases could be seen. Also, augmented testing capacity, vigorous contact tracing and special clinics to test all asymptomatic contacts is another reason. However, we are monitoring the situation," Dutonde said.