Authorities tracking mobile phones of people under quarantine to check their movement: Kejriwal

Authorities are tracking mobile phones of people under quarantine to check if they are violating orders in augmented efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference, the chief minister warned that strict action would be taken against those not adhering to the government's order on home quarantine.

The government gave 14,345 phone numbers to the Delhi Police on Wednesday to track the people put under home quarantine, in addition to 11,084 numbers it had shared on Tuesday, he said.

He said some countries have been using such technology to check the movement of those put under quarantine.

"Police will track the phones of those who were directed home quarantine to see if they complied or not. Action will be taken against those who violated. In such cases, their contacts will also have to be quarantined," Kejriwal tweeted later.

Reiterating that there has not been any community transmission of COVID-19 in Delhi yet, the chief minister said that out of the total 120 positive cases in the national capital, 49 contracted the disease during foreign tours and 29 through local transmission from family members already infected with the virus.

The positive cases in Delhi included 24 people evacuated from Nizamuddin Markaz. By Wednesday morning, a total of 2,346 persons were evacuated from the Islamic centre, out of which 536 were hospitalised, he said.

During the online press conference, the chief minister said a total of 766 people with COVID-19 symptoms were admitted at various hospitals across Delhi and that the situation was now under control.

"There are total 112 active COVID-19 cases in Delhi and we have requested the Centre to provide us testing kits, other medical equipment," Kejriwal said.

He also said the Delhi government will provide ration to those who do not have ration cards but have applied for it.

Kejriwal said that around 71 lakh people are being provided seven-and-a-half kg of ration each at outlets of the public distribution system.

"I want to request all those people to apply for a ration card on the Delhi government e-district website. You can take the help of MLAs and SDMs. You will not get a ration card but will get ration every month till the COVID-19 situation persists," he said.

"35,000 construction workers have already got Rs 5,000 each from the Delhi government. We have credited the amount into their bank accounts," he said.

The chief minister said salaries of many people may be delayed due to the ongoing lockdown.

"The Delhi government is issuing two passes each to the employers for the next two days so that they can release the payments online to their employees. Please do not deduct salaries, since it is a lockdown and a time of distress," he appealed to the employers.