Anil Baijal Calls For "Micro-Containment Zone Strategy" To Fight COVID-19

Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) Anil Baijal has directed all district magistrates to implement a "micro-containment zone strategy" in their respective areas to arrest the spread of COVID-19, an official said.

Under this plan, small clusters reporting cases of the dreaded virus will be identified and declared containment zones instead of big ones. The move comes after several cases of the infection were reported in some COVID-19 containment zones, including in Jahangir Puri, where people were seen moving around and meeting each other on the streets despite the restrictions.

At present, the authorities block the entry and exit points of an area where COVID-19 cases emerge and people are not allowed to step out of their houses. Essential items are delivered at the doorstep.
"It was observed that people in some containment zones are roaming on streets and meeting each other.

"DMs have been directed to implement 'micro-containment zone strategy', under which small clusters will be formed and declared containment zones so that there is strictly no movement of people," the official said.

Earlier this month, 31 members of an extended family in north Delhi's Jahangirpuri contracted the disease despite the area being declared a containment zone.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had also appealed to people living in containment zones to not step out of their houses as it might contribute to the spread of the disease and pose threat to lives.

Mr Baijal, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain and district magistrates attended a video conference held by Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan to discuss measures to contain the virus.

In the meeting, talks were held on the strict implementation of standard operating procedures in non-COVID-19 hospitals in the national capital, following cases of coronavirus infection in these facilities.

Death cunt due to COVID-19 rose to 937 and the number of cases climbed to 29,974 in the country today, registering an increase of 51 deaths and 1,594 cases since Monday evening, according to the Union Health Ministry.