Covid-19 cases rising in Delhi area even after 100 days of containment

Authorities have sealed all the routes passing through E Pocket of GTB Enclave, where 25 cases of Covid-19 have been reported so far, as a precautionary measure, according to HT’s sister publication Hindustan.

An area in Delhi’s North East district has been a containment zone for the last 100 days due to rising cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases and continues to be sealed off subject to stringent checks.

The Centre’s orders say a containment zone can be de-sealed 28 days after the last Covid-19 case has recovered or tested negative. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

Authorities have sealed all the routes passing through E Pocket of GTB Enclave, where 25 cases of Covid-19 have been reported so far, as a precautionary measure, according to HT’s sister publication Hindustan.

MM Tripathi, the general secretary of the Residents Welfare Association of Pocket E, said while speaking to Hindustan the area was declared as a containment zone on April 6. There are about 5,000 living in this area and there are 1,026 flats.

Tripathi said the World Health Organization (WHO) has organised a camp for the checkup of people in the area. The RWA also facilitated a camp by the ministry of AYUSH to distribute medicines to increase people’s immunity. Regular sanitisation of areas and roads where cases are being reported are also being done, he added.

However, Tripathi said the rising number of Covid-19 cases is a matter of concern.

Tripathi said the RWA has made sure that no resident faces any problem after the area was declared as a containment zone. He, along with the treasurer of the association, Yashpal Singh, is working closely with the administration and police.

He said there is no restriction on people’s movement and medical, ration and milk shops are opening.

But other shopkeepers say they are facing a lot of trouble.

RN Shukla, a 50-year-old owner of a clothes shop, told Hindustan he has been facing financial problems as the shop has been closed for a long time and he can’t take up any other job.

Shukla said the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) has verbally allowed other shops to open but since there are no written directions, the police are not allowing him to open his.

Officials of the RWA said they have written to the SDM and the issue will be resolved soon.

According to the residents association, the number of coronavirus disease cases are higher among the employees of the hospitals in the area. There are five big hospitals in this area, including the GTB Hospital, Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital, and Delhi State Cancer Hospital.

The route to the GTB Hospital via the colony has been closed.

Residents said the police, including station house officer Arun Kumar Singh, have been a big help and they have not faced any issues so far.

GTB Enclave’s Block E was among the first 23 containment zones announced by the Delhi government in April to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease in the city.

There are four other areas—blocks K and G in Jahangirpuri, Majlis Park in Adarsh Nagar and Hauz Rani—which have remained containment zones for more than three months.

The Centre’s orders say a containment zone can be de-sealed 28 days after the last Covid-19 case has recovered or tested negative.

However, district officials have said there were still some major reasons because of which these zones have remained sealed for months.

They said these include the presence of several medical professionals living in some zones, the 28-day rule for de-sealing a containment zone and continuous movement of people within the zone despite strict curbs.

District administration officials said they have raised the matter with the Delhi government.

Delhi has 120,107 cases of the viral disease and 3571 people have succumbed to Covid-19, according to the Union health ministry.