No new COVID cases in Mumbai's Dharavi for first time since outbreak

In a major development, Mumbai's Dharavi reported zero positive cases of coronavirus on December 25 for the first time since the pandemic reached the country earlier this year.

Caseload used to be very high at massive slum.

Spread over an area of more than 2.1 square kilometres and with population of about 10,00,000, makes Dharavi a densely populated area.

Dr Pradeep Awate, State Surveillance Officer of Maharashtra said, "Dharavi model underlines importance of community-based model and community participation in any public health crisis." "The model of tracing, testing and treatment was found to be useful due to community participation and vital role played by private doctors in Dharavi with the guidance of bureaucracy and public health department," he added.

Maharashtra has reported 57,955 active cases, 18,06,298 recoveries and 49,129 fatalities, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).