Containment zones dip to lowest in over a year

According to data from the state government’s revenue department, 472 spots in Delhi’s 11 districts were demarcated containment zones as on Wednesday.

With the Covid-19 caseload in the Capital at its lowest level in over 15 months, Delhi on Wednesday saw the lowest number of containment zones in over a year, and one district has no containment zone for the first time in 13 months, government records showed.

Over 37% of the contained areas (176) as on Wednesday were in the New Delhi district, followed by north Delhi (86) and south Delhi (64). (Ajay Aggarwal / HT Photo)

According to data from the state government’s revenue department, 472 spots in Delhi’s 11 districts were demarcated containment zones as on Wednesday. This is the lowest since 448 containment zones were recorded in the city on July 8 last year, days after the state government implemented a micro-containment policy.

Also, as on Wednesday, none of the 472 containment zones were in the south-east district, which houses areas such as New Friends Colony, Lajpat Nagar, Jangpura, Okhla, and Sarita Vihar. The last active containment zone in the south-east district was de-notified on Monday (July 12), government records said.

At the same time, over 37% of the contained areas (176) as on Wednesday were in the New Delhi district, followed by north Delhi (86) and south Delhi (64).

No district in Delhi has had zero containment zones since June 14, 2020, according to the data, and in that time, around 73,000 separate spots have been identified as Covid-19 hot spots, and subject to strict curbs as the Capital went through four waves of the infection (between June and July; September; November; and from April to May).

In 2021, so far, the fewest number of containment zones was recorded on March 12, when the city had 488 hot spots. However, on that date, no individual district recorded zero containment zones, senior officials said.

At its peak, Delhi touched 24,000 containment zones, for the week ending April 30, 2021.

Containment zones are spots with high instances or clusters of Covid-19 cases where economic activities are regulated, and movement is prohibited. The phased relaxations on lockdown regulations do not apply in areas notified as containment zones, and state teams deliver essential goods to doorsteps. Containment zones can be de-notified only 14 days after the last new case. Under the government’s micro-containment policy, these zones are limited to single houses, flats, apartment buildings or clusters of a few houses in a lane, blocks or pockets in residential or commercial areas.

State officials and health experts said the containment policy had paid off. (Hindustan Times)

Till late June 2020, the city had much larger containment zones — entire lanes and blocks, which government officials said led to several complaints from people who were not infected and were still put under a lockdown-like situation. These areas could be de-notified only after 28 days of not recording a new case. The policy was changed following a meeting chaired by Union home minister Amit Shah on June 26, 2020, in the light of the first wave of the pandemic in the city.

The Centre stressed on adopting a policy of micro-containment – essentially sealing smaller areas and keeping fewer people under heightened surveillance. The new policy was implemented on June 30, 2020.

At its peak, Delhi added a daily average of 25,294 new Covid-19 cases for the seven days ending April 23 this year, as a fourth wave of infections took hold of the city. However, since mid-May, cases, hospitalisations and deaths have reduced, and in the seven days ending Wednesday, Delhi added a daily average of 72 new cases, showed state government data.

The Capital on Wednesday added 77 new Covid-19 cases, and one more virus death.

State officials and health experts said the containment policy had paid off.

“The city has very few active cases, and zero containment and single-digit containment numbers are achievements. To effectively manage the disease, the government will continue with its micro containment policy,” said Delhi’s revenue minister Kailash Gahlot.

Dr Lalit Kant, former head of the division of epidemiology and communicable diseases at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said, “Micro-containment has been a very effective strategy in terms of arresting the spread of the disease. The policy is effective and has to face less resistance from people.”