Two new coronavirus COVID-19 cases reported in Mumbai's Dharavi, total climbs to nine

Two more persons tested positive for coronavirus COVID-19 in Mumbai's Dharavi area on Wednesday (April 8), taking the total number of such cases in the densely-populated slum area of Mumbai to nine, a civic official said.

The official told Zee News that among the new patients are a 25-year-old man from Mukund Nagar locality and a 35-year-old man from Dhanwada chawl. 
The patient from Mukund Nagar was a high risk contact of a 49-year-old man, who earlier tested positive for coronavirus, and was kept at a quarantine facility, he said.

"Contact tracing is underway in Dhanwada chawl (where another new case has been reported)," the official said, adding they are going to seal the area as per the protocol.

Dharavi is one of the biggest slums in Asia which is home to nearly 15 lakh people live in small shanties. It is considered as one of the most congested areas of Mumbai.

On Tuesday (April 7), Mumbai South Central Lok Sabha MP Rahul Shewale had urged Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to completely lock down Dharavi in order to prevent it from becoming a coronavirus COVID-19 hotspot.

According to the Shiv Sena MP, the Mumbai police is making a good effort but no one is listening due to the less strength of the police. He also demanded additional police force of the  State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) so that they can extend their help to the police.

He added if the cases in Dharavi increase, then Mumbai will face its biggest threat. "If the virus is not contained in Dharavi, then Mumbai will be in serious trouble. The spread of coronavirus can be very fast in Dharavi due to the congestion," the Shiv Sena MP said.