Mumbai sees 823 new Covid-19 cases as BMC's new restrictions kick in

Mumbai, Feb 19: With addition of 823 coronavirus cases, Mumbai on Friday recorded the highest single-day spike in infections since December, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.

The tally of coronavirus cases in the country's financial capital thus rose to 3,17,310, while the death toll reached 11,435 with five new fatalities.

The city''s daily count of infections crossed the 700- mark in the last two days after it had recorded less than 500 cases at the start of the week.

As many as 440 patients were discharged from hospitals during the day, taking the count of recoveries to 2,98,435.

With this, the city now has 6,577 active cases.

The average growth rate of COVID-19 cases in the city has increased to 0.18 per cent from 0.17 per cent on Thursday, while the average doubling rate has dropped to 393 days from 417 days.

With 18,366 samples tested on Friday, the total of tests conducted so far has risen to 30,98,894.

The civic body conducted around 15,000 COVID-19 tests every day earlier this month. With a spike in cases, it has ramped up testing, an official said.

Meanwhile, 10,300 persons -- 3,000 healthcare workers and 7,300 frontline workers -- were administered COVID-19 vaccine at 26 centers in the city on Friday, taking the total of inoculated persons to 1,55,358.

Of 10,300 people, 789 were administered a second dose, taking the number of people given a second shot of the vaccine to 2,419.

On Thursday, the BMC had warned that criminal cases would be registered against people found without masks in public, and strict action will be taken against function halls, gymnasiums and other establishments if they were found to be not following safety protocol.

Additional marshals would be deployed on suburban trains to penalize commuters who do not wear mask, it had said.

Earlier, when coronavirus cases in the city as well as in Maharashtra began to decline steadily, the government had relaxed the restrictions on travel by local trains in Mumbai.