1,372 new coronavirus cases in Mumbai, 73 deaths

The doubling rate of cases in the city is 41 days and the average growth rate is 1.72 per cent. In another release, the BMC denied allegations of "irregularities or fraud" in setting up 2,000-bed NESCO Corona Center in Goregaon.

With 1,372 new patients coming to light, the tally of coronavirus cases in Mumbai increased to 81,634 on Friday, a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) release said. With 73 deaths, death toll in the country's financial capital rose to 4,759, it added.

Notably, the number of new cases came down compared to the last two days. On July 1 and July 2, the city had recorded 1,511 and 1,554 new COVID-19 cases.

The number of recovered COVID-19 patients increased to 52,392 as another 1,698 patients were discharged from city hospitals in the past 24 hours, said the BMC. There are 24,483 active COVID-19 patients in Mumbai now while 1,139 new suspected patients were admitted to hospitals.

As per the civic body, the recovery rate of coronavirus patients in Mumbai has improved to 64 per cent. The doubling rate of cases in the city is 41 days and the average growth rate is 1.72 per cent.

In another release, the BMC denied allegations of "irregularities or fraud" in setting up 2,000-bed NESCO Corona Center in Goregaon. "On the contrary, while setting up and operating the center, the corporation has benefited through corporate social responsibility (CSR) along with getting services at reasonable and fair rates," the BMC said.

Opposition BJP had alleged that there were irregularities in the awarding of the contract of Rs 10.9 crores for the centre. The BMC said that it had planned a 100-bed isolation center at NASCO earlier for which it had issued work orders, but later it gave the job to a real estate firm as the work of the earlier contractor was "unsatisfactory" and it had decided to increase the capacity.

The firm was given work orders for a total of Rs 8.41 crore, it said. "The rent of all the materials used in this center will be paid by the corporation only for 90 days. Thereafter, it is mandatory for the supplier to provide free maintenance and upkeep," the BMC said.

The contractor firm also agreed to donate some of the materials such as fans, plastic chairs, medical beds, electrical fittings, CCTV cameras to the BMC after the closure of the center; and it has provided X-ray machines, oxygen cylinders, doctors' cubicles and few other materials worth Rs 1.06 lakh under the CSR, it added..

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)