No new COVID-19 case in Mumbai's Dharavi for first time since outbreak

Mumbai's Dharavi has reported zero positive cases of coronavirus for the first time since the pandemic reached the country earlier this year.

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Mumbai: In a major development, Mumbai's Dharavi has reported zero positive cases of coronavirus on Friday (December 25) for the first time since the pandemic reached the country earlier this year.

"Dharavi model underlines the importance of community-based model and community participation in any public health crisis," said Dr Pradeep Awate, State Surveillance Officer, Maharashtra.

A ‘zero’ that will be remembered as the best score ever! #Dharavi reported ZERO positive cases for the first time since
outbreak of the pandemic. #COVID19 @mybmcWardGN @DighavkarKiran

— माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) December 25, 2020

"The model of tracing, testing and treatment was found to be useful due to community participation and the vital role played by private doctors in Dharavi with the guidance of bureaucracy and public health department," he added.

Dharavi once reported highest COVID cases on daily basis. It has an area of over 2.1 square kilometres and a population of about 10,00,000, which makes Dharavi a densely populated area.

A resident of Dharavi, Akbar said "It was a collective effort by the people of Dharavi and the authorities. Many infected people were unaware of them getting infected of virus and if they did, they had no option but to stay in a small house with 5-10 people. This is the story of every resident of Dharavi.

" Later BMC took efforts but it was us to take precautions and measures, so it isn't just BMC but the residents of Dharavi as well because of whom the cases have decreased," he added. Maharashtra has reported 57,955 active cases, 18,06,298 recoveries and 49,129 fatalities, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).