With rising Covid-19 cases, Kolkata to mark out fresh containment zones

With the number of fresh Covid-19 infections increasing, Kolkata Municipal Corporation will mark out 17 containment zones in different parts of the city, Mayor Firhad Hakim said Friday.

Hakim told reporters with over 1,000 people reporting Covid positive in the metropolis, the civic body will also make 'Safe Homes' set up during the first Coranavirus pandemic wave operational again for people who could not self-isolate themselves as they either lived alone with no care-giver or had too little living space.

He said 80 per cent of the covid positive cases were asymptomatic, 17 per cent had mild symptoms while 3 per cent need hospitalisation according to an analysis of date done by KMC and health experts. Speaking of the criteria for setting up containment zones, Hakim said in case at least five members of a family of a housing or in a house were infected their flat or house would be declared a micro-containment zone.

The entire structure will be sanitized and those infected by Covid will have to go through another test after five days. "These days Covid viral load may decline significantly for asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic persons within a week. In case the infected person is reported Covid negative he can resume normal life after a few days rest," he added.