At least 10 dead in massive blaze at Covid hospital in Mumbai

MUMBAI: At least 10 people lost lives in a fire that engulfed a mall housing a hospital that treated coronavirus patients in Mumbai, authorities said on Friday.

More than 70 patients with COVID-19 infections in the private hospital, on the third floor of the mall, were evacuated to other centres, local civic officials said, adding that the cause of the fire was being investigated.

It was not immediately clear whether any of those killed were COVID patients.

According to Indian media, a major fire broke out at a medical facility for COVID-19 patients established on the third floor of the mall.

The statement of Sunrise Hospital quoted by Indian media said that the casualties could not be linked with the fire incident as the people have died of Covid-19 and the bodies were evacuated.

The fire department said that the death toll rose up to 10 following the fire at Sunrise Hospital established in Dreams Mall at Bhandup West.

Mumbai is struggling through the worst phase of its COVID-19 pandemic and reported more than 5,500 cases in a day on Thursday, it is the highest number since the outbreak began, Reuters reported.

Meanwhile, India’s new coronavirus infections rose 59,118 overnight, the highest daily rise since Oct. 18, health ministry data showed on Friday.

The country’s overall caseload stood at 11.85 million.

India reported 257 new deaths from coronavirus, taking the overall tally to 160,949, the data showed.