Coronavirus in Mumbai: 2 BMC disaster control room staff test positive for COVID-19

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On Monday, two staff members of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) 24/7 disaster management control room have tested positive for COVID-19, the Corporation said in a letter.

“Two employees working in the control room have tested positive for the coronavirus. However, the control room is completely functional and it also has a back up facility based in Parel,” a BMC spokesperson said.

Sources said control room staffers were tested earlier for the virus but the procedure may be repeated after these two people tested positive.

“The control room has 55 direct hotlines for direct communication with fire brigade, railways, police and other agencies, besides live feed from 5000 CCTV cameras across the city. It also takes care of the COVID-19 civic helpline,” said an official explaining the critical role of the control room.

The letter further read that the staffers have now been divided into two groups to work efficiently.

Meanwhile, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Mayor Kishori Pednekar has gone into self-quarantine on Monday after coming in contact with COVID-19 positive journalists.

Pednekar, along with her staff, will work from her home for the next 14 days and also the Mayor’s bunglow is being sanitized.

“I was present during the check-up of the journalists. My driver’s and my report is negative but some journalists whom I met in the recent five days have tested positive so I have decided to stop,” said Pednekar.

Meanwhile, 2,268 people in the city have been tested positive for COVID-19.