COVID-19: Centre recommends increasing bed capacity in Mumbai

Mumbai, Apr 22 () Maharashtra Health MinisterRajesh Tope on Wednesday said the Central committee hasrecommended an increase in the capacity of quarantine facilityin Mumbai from 1,200 beds to 2,000, in light of the rise inthe number of COVID-19 cases in the city.

An inter-ministerial central team (IMCT) arrived inMumbai on Tuesday for a two-day visit to assess the state'spreparedness to fight the coronavirus outbreak.

"The Central committee has also asked us to provideminimum oxygen supply to patients undergoing treatment, as itwill help ease their breathing distress if any," the ministersaid.

In keeping with the committee's directives, theBrihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has been asked to arrangefor more beds and increase testing across Mumbai, Tope said,adding that tents can also be put up in open grounds ifneeded.

The IMCT on Wednesday visited quarantine facilitiesand transit camps at Dharavi to assess the corrective measurestaken by the state government.

"The COVID-19 cases in Dharavi have not increased inthe last couple of days, indicating that our containmentstrategy has been working in the area, which has fivecontainment zones," he said.

The team was accompanied by Tope and officials fromthe state health department and the BMC during the visit. NDARU ARU