Mumbai:

Despite some respite in the number of coronavirus cases, the COVID-19 fatality rate in Mumbai is still worrying. India’s financial and entertainment capital home to 1.2 crore people, is seeing an addition of nearly 50 deaths every day.

Yash Purohit lost his uncle to COVID-19 in June. He said they found it difficult to manage a proper response from the agencies.

“We went to various hospitals after developing symptoms trying to get tested and find a bed for my uncle. Nobody was helping us. Everywhere we were turned away saying they don’t do any tests. We were asked to fill out a form, we did but still nobody admitted him,” he told NDTV.

Two days later, when they finally managed to find a bed in private hospital, it was too late.

Maharashtra and particularly Mumbai continues to be India’s biggest COVID-19 worry.

Even though the daily rise in COVID-19 cases in the city have remained somewhat steady, not crossing the 1,500 mark for over two months, the city’s death rate is at 5.4 per cent. This is higher than the state’s at 3.4 per cent and much higher than national figure 1.98 per cent.

According to Mumbai’s municipal corporation, the city’s leading agency in tackling the pandemic, there are few reasons for this.

The high death rate is because of high co-morbidities like hypertension and diabetes. Many of those who died did not report their condition on time or go to a doctor.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has now decided to review death statistics every week starting this Monday. Based on these figures and analysis, necessary steps will be taken in both private and public hospitals.

Dr Deepak Baid, President, Association of Medical Council, Maharashtra said, “If authorities want to reduce the death rate, they need to keep a stock of medicines in those particular hospitals. If people get medicine on time, they don’t have to run around anywhere and this can help reduce the death rate.”