Mumbai adopted targeted COVID-19 testing strategy: Officials
Mumbai: Despite Mumbai and Delhi having almost the same positivity rate, civic officials here on Monday said the city does not require to increase its daily number of COVID-19 tests like in the national capital, which is witnessing a fresh wave of the infection.
Testing strategies between the two cities also differ, the officials said, pointing out that while Delhi has adopted random testing methods, Mumbai is focusing on those showing symptoms or ones who are suspected to have come in contact with COVID-19 patients.
They said currently Mumbai is logging less than 1,000 cases daily, while Delhi is witnessing a third wave with over 6,000-7,000 coronavirus cases on single days.
Probably, this is because Mumbaifollowed a more cautious unlock strategy, wherein its lifeline - suburban trains - continues to be off-bounds for a majority of commuters more than eight months on as against Delhi's "liberal" attitude towards easing of curbs, said the officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Also, unlike the higher proportion of rapid antigen tests done in Delhi, Mumbai has relied largely on RT-PCR tests which are time-consuming but considered more accurate, they said.
Suresh Kakani, additional municipal commissioner, BMC, said currently they are conducting over 10,000 tests per day, mainly RT-PCR, and they have adopted a targeted testing strategy.
"We have been doing targeted testing instead of random testing since the beginning."
"We are testing those who have COVID-19-like symptoms and those who are exposed to the virus (like health workers and transport staff)," Kakani said.
Kakani said they have set up at least 10 free testing centers in each of the 24 civic wards and people also have the option of undergoing tests at private labs.
"We cannot force people to undergo COVID-19 tests unless they have any symptoms or they are exposed to the virus," he said.
Mumbai has seen 16,85,287 COVID-19 tests so far as against 49,91,585 tests conducted in Delhi, according to BMC's dashboard.
Mumbai has so far clocked a tally of 2,69,130 cases, while 10,555 patients have succumbed to the infection. On the other hand, Delhi has recorded 4,85,405 infections and 8,900 fatalities till now (as of November 15).
According to the BMC's dashboard, Mumbai has per million tests of 1,29,562, whereas Delhi has 2,62,715, but both cities have a positivity rate of 15 percent.
Dr. Rahul Pandit, a member of the Maharashtra government-appointed COVID-19 task force, Delhi has conducted more than 21,000 tests per day of which more than 50 percent are antigen and the rest RT-PCR.
Mumbai has mainly focused on RT-PCR tests, he said.
"Testing is based on positivity rate and what is important is to do RT-PCR tests, which is the gold standard.
"RT-PCR should be the general norm, while antigen should be reserved for people with very typical symptoms of COVID-19. If they test negative in antigen, then RT-PCR should be repeated on them," Pandit said.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
