Covid-19 outbreak in Mumbai: Multiple suspect cases in one building? BMC can quarantine it – Times of India

MUMBAI: In case of multiple suspect cases of Covid-19 in a particular housing society, the municipal commissioner can, as precaution, order the entire building to observe self-quarantine under the Epidemic Diseases Act.
Coronavirus outbreak live updates
This is among the various measures empowering local administrators to check the spread of the coronavirus in the city.
The BMC has also started an awareness campaign to educate citizens on precautionary measures against Covid-19. As part of this initiative, commissioner Praveen Pardeshi instructed that all hoardings in the city be used only to display awareness and precautionary measures for Covid-19 from Monday. Leading by example, the BMC has stopped biometric attendance of its 1 lakh employees for the next 15 days.
To spread awareness, it will rope in Bollywood actors to star in spot messages.
Regarding testing facilities, civic officials said people who return from virus-affected countries could only go to Kasturba Hospital for testing. Their contacts can also get themselves tested at the hospital. However, collection facility will start at KEM hospital, Parel, within a week.
Meanwhile, the BMC started a 300-bed quarantine facility at the defunct SevenHills Hospital, Marol, for travellers, especially senior citizens, from specific virus-hit nations.
Pardeshi on Saturday briefed chief minister Uddhav Thackeray about BMC’s preparedness. He later met wards officials and senior officials through video-conferencing to check their preparedness.
He has also given financial power to ward officials and civic hospital in-charge to procure required stuff in emergency. For instance, on Saturday, the BMC hired a private agency for Kasturba Hospital to improve its cleanliness and hourly sweeping.