417 new cases take Mumbai's COVID-19 count to 6875; 20 die

Mumbai, Apr 30 () With the addition of 417 freshcoronavirus cases, the number in Mumbai rose to 6,875 onThursday, while 20 more patients succumbed to the disease,taking the toll to 290, the city civic body said.

According to a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation(BMC) release, with the detection of fresh cases, the tallyjumped to 6,875, while the toll reached 290 in the financialcapital with the addition of 20 fatalities, most of themhaving pre-existing illnesses.

The BMC said it discharged 45 patients from varioushospitals on Thursday following their recovery from thedisease, taking the number of such people to 1472.

The civic body further informed that 498 new suspectedpatients of COVID-19 have been admitted in various hospitalsin the city.

According to BMC sources, the city has 1459containment zones, where at least one positive or suspectedpatient has been found.

The BMC said out of 20 fresh deaths, 16 patients hadco-morbidities.

"Eight of the deceased were above 60 years and 12 werebetween 40 to 60 years of age," the release said.

The civic body also claimed out of the 417 new cases,110 tested positive on April 27 and 28. These patients havealready been admitted in isolation wards and they are undertreatment.

Meanwhile, in the wake of death of a civic inspectorassociated with food distribution work in Dharavi due tocoronavirus, the BMC has decided to test its assessment staff,bus drivers and community development officers at feverclinics by May 1.

The decision comes after one of the main labour unionswarned of "tough stand" if the BMC did not conduct medicalexamination of its staff.

In the meantime, an NGO, Watchdog Foundation, haswritten a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister UddhavThackeray claiming that 26 staffers, including a few doctors,of a leading hospital in suburban Vile Parle (West) havetested positive for coronavirus.