6 new COVID-19 containment zones declared in southwest Delhi

Six new COVID-19 containment zones were declared in Dwarka and Kapashera area of southwest Delhi, the district administration said on Friday.

The containment orders were issued on May 21 after around 39 cases of coronavirus were reported in parts of southwest Delhi, including Vikaspuri, Kanganheri village, Palam Colony and Sadh Nagar.

The announcement comes two days after the health department asked all district magistrates to create such zones in their respective areas as per the existing guidelines.

The department's direction was prompted by a mismatch between the number of coronavirus cases and that of the containment zones in Delhi.

While coronavirus cases in the city have been rising, the number of containment zones has gone down.

According to a list shared by the Delhi government on Friday, there were 79 containment zones in the national capital.

An official in the southwest district administration said the cluster containment strategy' will contain the virus within a defined geographical area by early detection of cases, breaking the chain of transmission and preventing its spread to new areas.

He said the sub divisional magistrates concerned in coordination with the police and medical authorities will keep a buffer zone around the containment zone.

Medical authorities will take samples of owners and persons working at grocery and medical stores for COVID-19 test, the official added.

The coronavirus death toll in Delhi has mounted to 208, while 660 fresh cases of COVID-19 were reported on Friday in the biggest single-day spike.

The total number of cases in the city now stands at 12,319.

As many as 5,897 patients in Delhi were discharged or migrated so far, while there are 6,214 active cases, the Delhi health department said on Friday.