Updated January 4th, 2022 at 16:01 IST

Mumbai Mayor warns lockdown will be imposed if COVID cases breach 20,000 mark

BMC mayor Kishori Pednekar stated that as per the Union government’s rules, Mumbai would be put under lockdown if the COVID tally breaches the 20K mark.

Reported by: Ananya Varma
Image: ANI/Pixabay | Image:self
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Amid the alarming surge of Omicron, Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar on Tuesday warned that a lockdown may be imposed in the city if COVID-19 cases cross the 20,000-mark. Addressing a press conference at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters, Mayor Kishori Pednekar stated that as per the Union government’s rules, Mumbai would be put under lockdown if the COVID tally breaches the 20K mark.

Urging people to wear triple-layer masks while traveling in public buses and local trains, the mayor appealed to the citizens to get vaccinated at the earliest and follow all COVID-19-related SOPs. She also shared that Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray may address the citizens of the state in the next few days.

BMC issues new guidelines

Meanwhile, the BMC on Monday issued fresh guidelines for COVID-19 detection and sealing of buildings. A whole building or a wing shall be sealed if more than 20% of the occupied number of flats in the building or wing has COVID-19 patients, it has announced. Moreover, all patients and contacts shall strictly follow the current guidelines of home isolation and hygiene etiquette while in-home quarantine.

From the onset of symptoms or in case of no fever for 3 days, patients will be isolated for at least 10 days. High-risk contacts shall be home quarantined for 7 days and will be tested against after the 5th or 7th day or immediately turn symptomatic and further protocols will be followed. 

The building managing committers are directed to take due care and ensure adequate supplies of food, medicines, and other essentials are provided to the families in quarantine. Medical officers of Health must be given support to implement the existing COVID protocols and containment guidelines. The respective ward will take the decision on the de-sealing of the building or the wing. 

Mumbai's COVID tally

Mumbai reported 8,082 COVID-19 cases on Monday, the highest daily count since April 18, 2021, taking the caseload beyond the 8-lakh mark. With fresh additions, the financial capital's coronavirus tally rose to 8,07,602, while the death toll increased to 16,379. According to Maharashtra's Health Department, 40 new cases of the Omicron variant have pushed the number of such infections to 368 in the metropolis. 

(With agency inputs)

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Published January 4th, 2022 at 16:01 IST