2nd wave of Covid-19: Delhi has 1,438 active containment zones in 11 districts, many added in a week

Several buildings of Mukherjee Nagar, Rohini, Greater Kailash, Chittaranjan Park, Sarita Vihar, Lajpat Nagar have been identified as red zones in the last six days.

Delhi at present at 1,438 actual containment zones spread across its 11 districts, excluding areas where restrictions are being relaxed with recoveries but have not been completely withdrawn. Around 800 of these areas have been added in the past few days, according to government data on March 27. The South district has 416 containment zones, the highest in the Capital, followed by the North, which has 189 red zones.

Many shoppers have been flouting social distancing norms at Delhi markets such as Lajpat Nagar. (Photo: Amal KS/HT) (HT_PRINT)

Though these are called containment zones, these are actually individual houses which are being sealed after Covid-19 cases are being reported, explaining why the number is so high. The New Delhi district has 129 actively sealed buildings or containment zones, the North-West district has 126, South West 84, West 181, South East 164, Shahdara 37, East 43, North East 35 and Central 34.

‘Lockdown not a solution’, says Delhi health minister as Covid-19 cases soar

Buildings that have been added to the list in the last few days are in Seelampur, Karawal Nagar, Yamuna Vihar, Tilak Nagar, West Punjabi Bagh, East Patel Nagar, Mukherjee Nagar, Rohini, Greater Kailash, Chittaranjan Park, Sarita Vihar, Lajpat Nagar among other places.

Strengthening the containment measures comes after the health ministry pointed out that state and district authorities have become lax in identifying areas where cases are increasing and imposing restrictions on them.

Delhi districts	Number of active containment zones (As on 27th March)
North	189
New Delhi	129
North West	126
South West	84
West	181
South East	164
South	416
Shahdara	37
East	43
North East	35
Central	34

Since March 25, Delhi has been reporting over 1,500 fresh infections daily. On Saturday, the Capital logged 1,558 new infections, which was the highest number of daily cases since December last year.

However, the rise in the number of cases won't translate into any lockdown, Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain has confirmed on Saturday. "It follows a 14-day cycle -- between a person catching the infection and recovering from it. Experts said the virus will die if a lockdown is imposed for 21 days. Authorities kept on extending the lockdown, but the virus did not die. I don't think lockdown is a solution," the minister said.

Earlier, the minister said that the pandemic in the Capital was nearing the endemic phase where the infection will remain present but the spread and severity will not be the same.