Delhi now plans micro containment zone strategy to curb spread

With the red zones in the national capital touching 100, the Delhi administration is now looking at implementing a micro containment zone strategy to break the chain of coronavirus transmission.

Speaking to IANS, an Delhi government official said Lt. Governor Anil Baijal has directed all the District Magistrates in the city to implement the strategy in their districts.

"The LG has directed sealing smaller clusters instead of bigger areas. This will help in checking the movement of the people. The DMs have been asked to completely shut the movement of the people in these zones," the official told IANS.

So far, if three or more cases were found in a locality, the entire area used to be sealed and declared a containment or red zone. However, the number of cases for sealing an area can be varied depending upon the situation.

While those inside the zone were not allowed to step out, or those outside it were not allowed to go inside, it was reported that people living in the red zones were in contact, resulting in cases being reported from the containment zones.

The official said with the micro-containment zone strategy, small clusters will be sealed and it will help in checking people's movement inside the zones.

In several containment zones, including those in Jahangirpuri and Tughlakabad Extension, people were in contact and about 30-35 people tested positive in these densely-populated zones.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Tuesday said cases are increasing in the city as the infection is spreading at the local levels.

Last week, Jain had said that coronavirus is at the local transmission stage, the second stage of Covid spread, as people living together are becoming positive in large numbers.

"It is spreading among those having close contacts. It is local spread. In local spread, large cases are reported from people having close contacts, be it family or those living nearby."

He said people need to understand that this infection can spread, and "that is why we are requesting that everyone should stay indoors".

So far, 100 containment zones have been formed with one red zone 'de-contained' in the East district. The positive cases count in the city has crossed 3,100-mark. IANS