With COVID cases showing dip for fourth day, is 3rd wave flattening in Mumbai?

In what could be some relieving news for Mumbai, indications suggest flattening of the third wave of pandemic with the daily COVID-19 cases showing a dip for the fourth successive day. Tuesday registering a 14.66% drop in COVID-19 cases over Monday as 11,647 fresh infections were reported in 24 hours.

On January 10, 13,648 patients were detected with COVID-19 out of the 59,242 tests done. With the test positivity rate falling to 18.7% from 28% on Monday, experts argued if this is a sign of the flattening of the curve in the city.

Over the last four days the cases have dropped sharply from 20,700 to 11,647. Dr Shashank Joshi, member of the state COVID-19 task force, has claimed that the third wave has started flattening in Mumbai. He said that going by the numbers the city is reporting, Mumbai may have crossed its peak.

"Yesterday's numbers were clearly showing a positivity rate of around 25%. We are expecting those numbers to drop further," he said. Dr Shashank Joshi pointed out that the number of patients needing oxygen and ventilators in the third wave is quite low compared to the second wave.

He further added that one thing that was reassuring is the fact that the cases, instead of exponentially rising are on a decline. Meanwhile, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said that the third wave of the pandemic which began on December 21 last year has claimed 46 deaths in 22 days in the city.

On the question of whether Mumbai had crossed its peak, Dr Joshi said that it is difficult to answer the question right now and nothing can be said before the next two weeks.