Masks must in Mumbai as COVID-19 cases go up by 106: BMC

On the fifteenth day of the

national lockdown on Wednesday Mumbai reported 106 fresh coronavirus positive cases, taking the overall tally to 696, the civic body said.

The death toll in the financial capital rose to 45 with five patients undergoing treatment at various hospitals succumbing to the viral infection on Wednesday, stated a release issued by the Brihnmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

However, the state government has separately put the rise in the COVID-19 cases in Mumbai at 72 and the overall tally as on Wednesday at 714.

Meanwhile, the BMC put the number of the people being recovered from COVID-19 and released from hospitals at 59, though no new patient was discharged on Wednesday.

 

Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar said that 313 suspected patients have been admitted in various hospitals in the city.

The BMC said it has identified quarantine facilities for more than 11000 people across 24 wards in the mega city.

"They are being used to house high risk and low risk contacts of COVID-19 positive cases from slums, chawls and congested localities in order to arrest the spread of the pandemic in congested areas," said Pednekar.

The Mayor further added that over 900 high and low risk contacts have already been shifted to these quarantine facilities.

The 106 new COVID-19 positive cases included six fresh cases from the slum sprawl Dharavi and two new cases from Mahim, including a 43-year-old man and a nurse working at private Breach Candy Hospital.

Meanwhile, amidst growing cases of COVID-19, the Mumbai civic body has made wearing of masks at public places compulsory, an official release stated.

Issuing a circular, the BMC also warned of arrest under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for flouting its order.

"All persons moving out for whatever purpose and for whatever reason in public places like streets, hospitals, offices, markets etc must wear mask or cloth mask," it stated.