MUMBAI: As the coronavirus positive cases have been increasing in Mumbai and Pune particularly in the slum areas, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to administer hydroxychloroquine on a large scale to contain the spread.
Hydroxychloroquine is an anti-malarial drug that some leaders - Donald Trump most famously - have been touting as a possible drug to combat COVID-19. Experts remain skeptical.
Kiran Dhighavkar, assistant municipal commissioner of G northward, told The New Indian Express that they are currently at the discussions stage. "We have not yet finalized. We are yet to decide whether this hydroxychloroquine medicine should be given to all people in contaminated zones or quarantined people or only the infected patients. We will have a meeting where the final decision will be taken soon," sad Dhighavkar.
Sources in the BMC said that this experiment will be first carried out in Asia's largest slum - Dharavi - and after the results from there, it will be used on a larger scale in other parts of the state as well.
"Earlier we have been giving HIV drugs to the coronavirus infected patients. But many people including doctors are suggesting anti-malarials because coronavirus is a version of pneumonia only. America and other developed countries are also heavily relying on this medicine. We are also thinking along the same lines," a senior BMC officer requesting anonymity said.
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In Mumbai, more than 2798 coronavirus positive patient have been detected. There have been 131 deaths. Dharavi alone has 138 coronavirus patients. A total of 11 deaths have been reported here in the last few days.
According to BMC data, earlier Peddar Road, Tardeo and Malabar Hill had the highest number of coronavirus patients but the numbers in these areas are coming down significantly in recent times.
The number of coronavirus patients have been increasing particularly in G north ward of BMC which includes Dharavi. Besides, the slum areas of Kurla, Worli, Prabhadevi, fishermen colonies and Andheri East and West are seeing more coronavirus positive patients emerge in the screening.