Containment zone perimeter reduced to one kilometre

The district health department, along with the district administration, has decided to reduce the perimeter of containment zones to 1 kilometre from 3 kilometres.

The district health department, along with the district administration, has decided to reduce the perimeter of containment zones to 1 kilometre from 3 kilometres. A containment one includes lanes where cases have been reported. Gurugram district currently has 37 containment zones.

HT Image

Dr MP Singh, the nodal officer for containment zones, said, “Marking a 3km radius from the epicentre of the infection as a containment zone and a 7km radius as the buffer zone in different areas would cover half the city as the number of containment zones are increasing, following the surge in cases. Therefore, we have decided that the perimeter of the containment zone will be reduced to 1km for proper surveillance and to keep a check on people’s movement.”

The administration can define the boundary of a containment zone, as per the guidelines issued by the union ministry of home affairs while imposing lockdown norms. Also, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday said that except containment zones, the remaining areas will be classified as orange zones where activities will resume.

“The boundary of the containment zone in a residential area could be a mohalla or any lane in a congested area where a case has been reported. It makes contact tracing, testing people with Influenza Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) easier. Even house-to-house surveillance becomes specific,” Singh said.

In containment zones within red and orange zones, maximum precautions are required including strict perimeter control, to ensure that there is no movement of population in or out of these zones except for medical emergencies or supply of essential goods and services. However, as reported by HT earlier this week, there has been a lack of vigilance in the containment zones.

As per the health department guidelines, until now, a containment zone covered a radius of 3km and the adjoining buffer zone covered a radius of 7m from the epicentre of the case(s). However, health officials now say that defining the perimeter of a containment zone will depend on the risk assessment of the area. It can be revised.

NEW COVID-19 CASES

The district health department on Tuesday confirmed nine Covid-19 cases have been reported from the city. Three persons from Sector 10A, two from Ravi Nagar and one each from Daulatabad, Sirhaul, Palam Vihar and Shivaji Park. The number of infected persons has reached 220, of which 118 have been discharged while 102 are admitted.