Seven found positive in Noida's random coronavirus testing at Delhi border

Seven people coming from Delhi to Noida were found positive for COVID-19 during random tests of 147 people at Gautam Buddh Nagar's border with the national capital on Wednesday, officials said.

The Gautam Buddh Nagar administration had on November 18 started random testing of people coming to Noida from Delhi in view of the spike in coronavirus cases in the national capital.

"Health department officials randomly tested 147 people on Wednesday of which seven persons resulted positive for the infection. 57 people were tested at the DND border where three persons were found positive, while 90 people were tested at Hari Darshan border where four persons resulted positive," according to an official statement.

The positivity rate during the random tests in border areas stood at 4.76 per cent, according to the statistics.

These random tests for coronavirus were done through the rapid antigen-based technique, officials said.

The administration said such tests would continue in the coming days as well at areas bordering Delhi, they added.

At the onset of the random sampling, District's Chief Medical Officer Deepak Ohri had said if anyone is found positive during the test at the border, they will be sent back to Delhi while those who are Noida or Greater Noida residents coming from Delhi but result in positive will be contained in the district.

"Only those testing negative are allowed to enter Noida," Ohri had said, adding all facilities for test and logistics are available at the borders.

According to District Magistrate Suhas L Y, the random testing is being done in order to assess the spread of infection and would help in issuing advisories to employers and organisations, where a large number of people work and commute between Gautam Buddh Nagar and adjacent areas, so that the spread of infection is contained to a large extent.