At 2293 cases, Mumbai records its highest Covid tally since January – The Indian Express

The test positivity rate (TPR) — the number of positive cases out of the total tests conducted – stood at 8.9 per cent in Maharashtra. The state conducted 45,106 tests, of which 4,024 were detected with Covid-19. Out of this, Mumbai reported 2,293 cases. With 17,139 tests being conducted, the TPR stood at 13.3 per cent which was above 15 per cent on Tuesday.

However, the actual figure could be higher as the state lacks the mechanism to record the reports of patients who undertake the test at home with antigen kits.

Though state health minister Rajesh Tope said that the surge is restricted only to certain districts, the cases are gradually spreading across Maharashtra. The caseload in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), too, is gradually climbing up.

The active Covid-19 cases stood at 19,261 in Maharashtra. However, due to less severity of infection, only two per cent of them are hospitalised.

“So far, most of the patients are doing well in home isolation and do not require hospitalisation. The majority of those hospitalised are elderly people or those with comorbidities such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or any other cardiac problems. They are admitted mostly for observation and precautionary reasons, rather than an actual need for hospitalisation,” said Dr Bharesh Dedhia, chief of critical care department , PD Hinduja Hospital.

Experts believe the new variants of Omicron are the driving force behind the sudden spike in cases.

On Wednesday, the public health department declared that four more patients have been identified with BA.5 variant with one each in Mumbai, Pune, Thane and Navi Mumbai. All were in the age group of 19 to 36 years who tested Covid-19 positive during May 26 to June 9. This takes the total caseload of BA.5 variants to five in Mumbai.

Meanwhile, BA.2.12.1– a sub variant of BA.2 of Omicron which is currently the driving force behind the surge in North America – has also been identified in a few districts in Maharashtra.

“Viruses keep evolving so, we will see more lineages of the variants. But the seriousness should be gauged with the hospitalisation rate. Unlike the previous waves, in a population with a high vaccination rate, the severity will be less,” said Dr Pradip Awate, state surveillance officer.