india

Updated: Apr 09, 2020 22:22 IST

About 200 hotspots of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) have been identified in Mumbai and Mumbai suburbs and curfew-like restrictions imposed in these places to contain the fast-spreading viral infection, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Thursday.

The stringent restrictions will come into effect immediately and continue till further orders. No one will be allowed to venture out of their houses in these hotspots and essential items will be home-delivered, authorities decided.

The move came a day after Delhi announced stringent restrictions in 23 containment zones and Uttar Pradesh did so for over 100 hotspots. People have been barred from stepping outside in these areas, which have been sealed, and essentials are being home-delivered . Frontline workers, such as health care staff and doctors, are exempt.

Mumbai has already identified 381 “containment zones” to fight the disease and take necessary steps to contain the spread of the infection. On Thursday, the civic body internally categorised areas inside these places into red (high risk), orange (moderate risk) and blue (low risk) zones for better management of resources and strict enforcement of the lockdown guidelines.

“In these red zones, there will be no movement in or out (to be enforced with police help and ward assistance) to prevent further spread of the infection to other areas,” municipal commissioner Praveen Pardeshi said.

Vegetable markets in these areas will be closed down as authorities say these are leading to crowding. The government is also expected to strengthen security for the effective implementation of the lockdown.

“Barring medical shops, everything else would be shut in the hotspots we have identified in Mumbai. It would not be possible to contain the spread in areas like Dharavi without imposing stricter restrictions as the next eight days are crucial,” said school education minister Varsha Gaikwad, a legislator from Dharavi.

Maharashtra has the highest number of Covid-19 cases (1,297 as of Thursday morning) and fatalities (72) in the country. Mumbai accounts for 857 of these cases. With 14 positive patients and three deaths, the densely populated Dharavi is one of the hot spots in the city.

In Mumbai, a “containment zone” is classified as one if a single person from the area is tested positive for Covid-19. The patient’s building and at least four to five adjoining buildings on all sides will be in this zone, depending on the area’s population density. Hotspots, on the other hand, are identified on a case to case basis, if and when civic authorities see a dramatic rise in cases in one location, building, or an area inside a “containment zone”.

“We are identifying hotspots for better mobilisation of resources to such areas... screening in a hotspot is happening rigorously,” a senior BMC official said.

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