NCDC testing sewage samples in Delhi to check for Covid-19: Officials

NCDC has been collecting sewage samples from seven sites across Delhi and testing them for the presence of coronavirus variants, officials said at a review meeting chaired by Arvind Kejriwal

The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has been collecting sewage samples from seven sites across Delhi and testing them for the presence of coronavirus variants, officials said at a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal here.

The Omicron sub-variant BF.7 of the coronavirus has not been detected in the sewage surveillance reports for the last four consecutive weeks, according to a presentation made at the meeting.

These places are Batla House, Swan Cinema, Shahdara, Sonia Vihar, Wazirpur, Nangloi and Bhalswa Lake.

Officials also shared that only 24 per cent of the eligible people have taken the precaution dose of coronavirus vaccine as on December 21). Only 19 percent people in the 18-59 age category have got the booster dose so far.

Forty-eight per cent eligible people in the 60+ age group and 62 per cent of the healthcare workers and frontline workers have received precautionary dose.

At a meeting to review the Covid situation in Delhi on Thursday evening, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the new Omicron sub-variant BF.7 which is causing a surge in cases in many countries has not been detected in Delhi so far and added his government is fully geared up to tackle any eventuality.

Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said the dominant sub-variant in Delhi is XBB that has been detected in 92 per cent of the samples till now.

At the moment, 2,500 tests are being conducted and these can be increased to one lakh if there is a surge in cases, he said.