Containment zones in Delhi go up from less than 1,000 to nearly 24,000

Amid the soaring COVID-19 cases in Delhi, the number of containment zones have gone up from less than 1,000 to nearly 24,000 within the past fortnight, officials said on Thursday.

There were 800 containment zones in the national capital on December 30, 2020. According to the latest official figures, the number rose to 23,997 by mid-January.

South Delhi topped the list of 11 districts in the city with 8,383 containment zones. The districts with higher number of containment zones included West Delhi at 4,109, Central Delhi at 3,493, and New Delhi at 2,354.

The lowest number of containment zones were in East Delhi at 151, North East Delhi at 279, North West at 547 and South West Delhi at 851.

A residential area or an apartment is contained usually if three coronavirus-infected people live there. However, district authorities have discretionary powers to declare a residential area a containment zone if even one person is found infected.

Most of the containment zones in Delhi are micron ones with less than three patients. Currently, an infected person with mild symptoms or without any symptom has to undergo seven days' home isolation.