The 47 containment zones in the national capital are spread over nine of Delhi government’s 11 revenue districts, barring Northeast and Northwest Delhi, where there are no sealed areas. But the administration is working on a war footing to ensure there is no “clustering of cases” in these two districts.
From completing contact tracing of existing cases to routine screening in residential neighbourhoods, especially in high-density areas, the administration is taking all possible measures, leaving nothing to chance.
The Northeast district is highly vulnerable due to its densely populated residential neighbourhoods. Several pockets here were adversely affected by the communal riots in February, displacing thousands. The district is also in close proximity to Dilshad Garden, one of the two Covid-19 hot spots in Delhi.
While 24 and 30 cases have been reported from East Delhi and Shahdara, respectively, two of the three districts in the trans-Yamuna region, only nine cases have been reported from the Northeast Delhi, the third district, which comprises neighbourhoods of Karawal Nagar, Yamuna Vihar, Gokalpuri and Shiv Vihar.
In Northwest Delhi, which comprises Model Town, Shalimar Bagh and Rohini, 13 cases have been reported so far.
District magistrate (Northeast Delhi) Shashi Kaushal said that house-to-house screening, health check-ups, quick response, round-the-clock monitoring, intensified sanitisation drives and awareness campaigns are some of the measures the administration has taken to control the spread of coronavirus in the region.
“So far, no cluster cases have been reported. There are only nine cases (till Monday morning) in the entire district. Containment zones are generally formed when several cases are reported from a single cluster,” Kaushal said.
District magistrate (Northwest Delhi), Sandeep Mishra, too, said that “no clustering of cases” has been reported in his area. “All the 13 cases are isolated cases and we have done primary and secondary contact tracing in 11 cases. We are in the process of completing the contact tracing of two cases. There are no signs of clustering in any of the localities from where these cases have been reported,” said Mishra, who has 161 teams doing the screening in the area.
While there are no containment zones in their areas, both DMs said that they are taking stringent measures to avoid clustering. Rigorous monitoring, house-to-house survey, health check-up along with blocking of roads are conducted.
“Except for sealing the area, we are taking all other measures that are being taken in a containment zone. Rigorous monitoring and screening of households in being done by the health team comprising ASHA and ANM workers. Regular announcements, urging the public to follow social distancing and stay indoors, are also being made,” Kaushal said.
Mishra said that in the recent rapid response team (RRT) meeting, it was decided that there is no need, at present, to declare it a containment zone. “All the cases are reviewed by the RRT. As there is no clustering being reported, we don’t want to strain our existing resources by declaring a containment zone, as we will have to divert our staff to the zone. Right now, we are keeping a strict vigil on those who are in home-quarantine,” he said.