First red zone in Delhi de-sealed, ‘local spread’ in 3 other areas

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted about the de-containment . “No new case in Mansara Apts in Vasundhara Enclave. Therefore, this containment zone is being de-contained. Operation Shield was successful becoz of cooperation from people living in this zone.”

The Delhi government on Friday lifted the containment measures imposed at Mansara Apartments in east Delhi on Friday, making it the first containment zone in the national capital to be de-contained.

The residential complex was declared a containment zone on March 31 after a person tested positive there on March 26; this person was shifted to the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital. (Ajay Aggarwal/HT file photo)

But over the past few days , Delhi has also reported incidents of “local spread” of the contagious disease in two blocks in Jahangirpuri, Tughlaqabad Extension and Jama Masijd.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted about the de-containment . “No new case in Mansara Apts in Vasundhara Enclave. Therefore, this containment zone is being de-contained. Operation Shield was successful becoz of cooperation from people living in this zone.”

The residential complex was declared a containment zone on March 31 after a person tested positive there on March 26; this person was shifted to the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital.

The de-containment order cites the Union health ministry’s guidelines that say containment measures will be “scaled down if no secondary laboratory confirmed Covid-19 case is reported in the geographic quarantine zone for at least four weeks after the last confirmed test has been isolated and all his contacts have been followed up for 28 days”.

In his order, district magistrate Arun Kumar Mishra said, “However, the medical authorities shall continue regular follow up action so that the containment process shall be deemed to be completed in stipulated time.”

But the Covid-19 threat to the city is far from over. In the past week, there have been four incidents of “local spread”, as 26 members of an extended family in C block of Jahangirpuri; 35 residents of a lane in south Delhi’s Tughaqabad Extension, 46 people in Jahangirpuri H-3 block, and 12 people in central Delhi’s Chooriwalan near Jama Masjid all tested positive for Covid-19.

“This is called local spread. It is usually seen within the families or among those people who live in the same area and meet with their relatives or neighbours frequently,” said Delhi’s health minister Satyendar Jain

He said that the government is taking measures to contain the further spread of the disease. “Other than enhancing security we are also educating people not to step out of their houses so that spread of the virus can be contained. People will have to understand that they have to stay indoors -- otherwise more people will get infected,” Jain added.

On Friday, surveillance was stepped in these four areas.

Delhi government on Friday announced one new containment zone in Shahdara . The total tally of containment zones remains unchanged at 92 . The newly added containment zone is Gali number-18, Vijay Park in Maujpur in Shahdara district.

Containment zones comprise apartment blocks, gated communities, slums, streets, even cover entire neighbourhoods.No one is allowed to step out even to buy essential goods. All the entry and exit points are barricaded in such zones.