Mumbai’s positivity rate quintupled, highest since January

Mumbai: The Mumbai Covid test positivity rate quintupled from 2.51% in May to 12% in June. This is the highest TPR recorded in the city since January, according to data provided by the civic body. According to statistics, there were only 5,888 cases in May, which rose to 45,951 cases in June. Officials attributed this to increased Covid testing and seasonal flu, which led to more people contracting infections.

A chief medical officer from the civic health department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said several factors led to the rise in Covid cases in the city as experts had anticipated. The number of tests also increased from 2.34 lakh in May to 3.80 lakh in June.

“The main reason for the outbreak is that the virus follows a pattern where it comes and goes. Also, for several months, people have not been following the necessary precautions to avoid spreading or transmitting Covid-19 infection. Due to this behavior, the virus is still circulating. Therefore, we are witnessing an increase in the number of cases in a few districts and cities in Maharashtra,” said a chief medical officer of the Maharashtra Covid-19 task force.

Commenting on the current Covid situation, Dr P Shyamsunder Tampi, Pulmonologist and Senior Consultant Physician, Bombay Hospital and Medical Research Centre, said: “The pandemic is not over yet. Recently, the Omicron variant subline, the first infection of the BA.5 variant was recorded in Mumbai. The variant that has swept the world, including India, has raised some concerns about its key characteristic of being significantly more transmissible than past ancestral lines.

Dr Pradip Awate, state surveillance officer, said: “This is a general pattern that we see in any flare-up. Cities like Mumbai and Pune are recording the highest number of cases which have gradually spread to nearby areas due to proximity and population movement. But, as the infection rate is low, we have not witnessed a sudden spike like the third wave. »

Meanwhile, health experts said there was some relief as cases have plummeted over the past seven days, but it’s too early to comment on whether those cases have plateaued in the city.

However, the next week will be crucial for understanding the epidemiological characteristics of the virus. “The current trend indicates a decline, which is a promising sign. But it is still essential that people wear masks and take their pending vaccines,” said Covid-19 task force member Dr Rahul Pandit.