Mumbai reports 20,971 new Covid-19 cases, `no lockdown yet`

The active cases in India`s financial capital now stands at 91,731. The recovery rate in Mumbai stands at 87% and the doubling rate of the infection in the city is 56 days.

Mumbai: On Friday, Mumbai reported 20,971 new cases, 6 deaths and 8,490 recoveries in 24 hours. With this, active cases in India's financial capital stands at 91,731.

Out of 20,971 fresh cases recorded in Mumbai, 17,616 are asymptomatic, 1,395 have been hospitalised. The recovery rate in Mumbai stands at 87% and the doubling rate of the infection in the city is 56 days.

Urging people to remain caution, Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar told ANI, "The Chief Minister thinks that no lockdown should be imposed. But, people are still not serious and are not wearing masks. People must follow all COVID-19 SOPs." She added that a decision on seating capacity to be allowed for restaurants, hotels etc, is likely soon.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Municipal commissioner Iqbal Chahal had said that lockdown isn't required yet in Mumbai. Talking to a Marathi news channel, Chahal said that during the first and second wave the decision to impose lockdown was taken on the basis of case positivity rate, but this criterion cannot be applied for the third wave which started from December 21, 2021. No further restrictions were needed to be imposed on travel by local trains as only fully vaccinated people are being allowed to board the trains, he said.

"The criterion in the first and second wave was the positivity rate. But in this wave of Omicron variant of the virus, two new criteria should be occupancy of hospital beds and oxygen requirement," Chahal said. The administration has so far imposed only a few restrictions such as ban on assembly of five or more persons during night time and shutting of schools in the city, the municipal commissioner has said.