Dharavi, a COVID-19 cluster and Asia's biggest slum, reports one case in last 24 hours

Mumbai, July 08: Asia's largest slum Dharavi which was once a hotspot for the COVID-19 infection has recorded only one coronavirus positive case in the last 24 hours for the first time since the first week of April.

According to the official data, the curve of COVID-19 positive cases in Dharavi, the low-income residential sprawl characterised by narrow lanes and spaces cramped with make-shift houses, has seen a declining trend for over a month now.

The 2.5 square kilometre area that packs nearly 6.5 lakh people had reported only two COVID-19 positive cases on July 4 and 67 new cases in the month of July.

Till now, 2,335 positive cases and 352 active cases have been reported in the densely populated area while 1,735 patients have recovered and discharged from the slum.

Dharavi, weeks ago, was considered the biggest threat to Mumbai's fight against the virus as cramped living spaces and shared bathrooms gave a little scope for social distancing.

However, enforcing a strict lockdown and blocking the movement of residents except for essential services, seems to have paid off as the area, for days, has been reporting relatively low single-day coronavirus numbers.

A total of 5,134 new COVID-19 cases and 224 deaths were reported in Maharashtra on Tuesday. With this, the state has recorded 2,17,121 cases and 9,250 deaths so far.

The Maharashtra government, to ramp up testing, has allowed tests without doctors' prescription in Mumbai.