Mumbai reports 1,242 new Covid cases in a day, highest since Jan 29

Mumbai on Tuesday reported 1,242 new coronavirus infections, almost double the previous day's count, but no pandemic-related death, said the civic body Brihanmumbai Mumbai Corporation (BMC).

The infection count was the highest since January 29, when the city had reported 1,411 new cases and 11 fatalities. On Monday, India's financial capital had recorded 676 cases but no deaths. The city reported cases in four digits for the first time since February 2, when Mumbai had reported 1,128 cases besides seven deaths. Mumbai's tally of COVID-19 cases increased to 10,71,776, on Tuesday while the death toll remained unchanged at 19,569.

Notably, for the first time since March-end, the civic body has increased daily COVID-19 tests to over 15,000.

Last week, municipal commissioner Iqbal Chahal had directed officials to increase testing. As per the bulletin, a total of 17,145 tests were conducted since Monday evening. The tally of tests conducted in the city so far rose to 1,72,07,993. With a significant increase in daily tests, the positivity rate (cases found per 100 tests) in the city dipped to 0.072 per cent from 0.098 per cent on Monday. The number of active COVID-19 cases rose to 5,974.

The caseload doubling period -- time taken for the caseload to double -- dipped to 986 days. Out of 1,242 new patients, 1,168 are asymptomatic, while the 76 symptomatic patients were admitted to hospitals. Of these only 10 patients were put on oxygen support.

Of 24,600 hospital beds earmarked for COVID-19 patients, only 254 beds are occupied. The recovery rate of COVID-19 patients was 98 per cent, as 506 patients recovered since Monday evening. The number of recovered patients reached 10,46,233. The overall growth rate of cases in Mumbai was 0.070 per cent for the period between May 31 to June 6.