Flying squads to conduct door-to-door survey in Mumbai

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday said flying squads have been set up in all 227 municipal wards of Mumbai for door-to-door survey as part of efforts to check the spread of coronavirus. The step has been taken in view of the high density of population in Mumbai where there is more possibility of spread of the disease compared to other districts.

Thackeray held a meeting with municipal authorities and ward officials through video conference on Monday evening. In a release issued on Tuesday, he said the Worli Koliwada has been declared as the 'containment area' and residents have been prohibited from moving around.

"If more such areas are declared containment areas, health officials will have to work very hard to stop the virus spread. Mumbai is the country's financial capital and the spread of the viral infection has to be controlled. The flying squads need to be activated and survey should begin," he said.

He said each squad will consist of a vehicle, municipal officers and employees, police and revenue department officials and medical assistant.

"Their task will be to identify coronavirus patients, their contacts and check for symptoms like fever, cough, cold, pneumonia-like ailment and to take further steps for treatment," he said.

Thackeray also warned that if people venture out for non-essential purpose, then the decision of keeping essential commodities' shops open for 24 hours will have to be reversed.

He also asked the civic authorities to persuade private doctors to resume their practice, and said special care should be taken of senior citizens.

Thackeray said spraying of disinfectants is being done by urban local bodies and housing societies must refrain from asking anyone else to do that work.

"Disinfectants must not be sprayed without the permission of the urban local body as wrong formula can be more harmful to human beings and animals," he added.

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