No second Covid wave in Mumbai, case spike due to higher testing: BMC chief

Over 5.6 million Covid-19 cases have been reported in the country so far, 30% from Maharashtra alone. Mumbai is reporting around 2,000-2200 cases daily

There is absolutely no second wave of Covid-19 in Mumbai and the increase in the number of positive cases is only due to doubling of tests, municipal commissioner I S Chahal said today.

Over 5.6 million Covid-19 positive cases have been reported in the country so far and 30 per cent of them are from Maharashtra. Mumbai is reporting around 2,000-2200 cases daily.

"From September 1 we increased the number of Covid-19 tests from 6,000-7,000 to 15,000-16,000 each day. We are maintaining that momentum," Chahal said while reasoning the increase in positive cases. " It is a stimulated spike. We decided we must stimulate it as we are confident we have the health system, the doctors and patient management in place," Chahal said while addressing a fireside chat at a CII organised Hospital Tech 2020 event.

Chahal, a 1989 batch IAS officer took charge as the civic chief of Mumbai in May and has been overseeing the city administration's response to the pandemic by creating jumbo Covid care centres and increasing number of ambulances among other things.

Chahal expressed confidence that the civic body would be able to handle an increase in cases to 3,000-4,000 daily cases if the testing is doubled to over 30,000 each day. 

Illustrating an example of cricket, the civic chief said it does not matter how many balls a batsman faces but what matters is how many wickets a team loses. " How does it matter how many positive cases come as long we can treat them and keep the fatality rate at two per cent," he said.