67 new Covid cases in city, eight more containment zones
nNEWDELHI: Delhi recorded 67 new cases of Covid-19 on Friday, taking the total number of cases in the city to 1,707. Four persons died of the infection, taking the death toll to 42, according to data released by the Delhi government. On the same day, the city added eight new containment zones to its list, taken the total to 68 in the Capital.
Of the new cases, 11 are those who have a history of contact with other Covid-19 patients. Currently, 11,905 people who had a history of contact with the positive cases are under home quarantine. The source of the infection is yet to be traced for 56 others.
Currently, 911 people are admitted to various hospitals in the city. Of them, 27 are in the intensive care unit, with six on ventilator. Delhi is in the process of scaling up testing, with 2,625 samples being collected on Friday. So far, 21,409 samples have been collected since testing began in January.
The 25-year-old woman, suspected to have Covid-19, who died at Bhagwan Mahavir Hospital on Wednesday night has tested negative for the infection. Around 68 staff members who had been asked to go into quarantine after coming in contact with her have been asked to return to duty.
At Lok Nayak hospital, the city’s biggest Covid-19 facility, treating 477 positive patients, 62 people from the gathering at Nizamuddin Markaz were discharged over Thursday and Friday, after they tested negative for the infection twice, as per government policy.
“The hospital has discharged 62 patients who had been evacuated from the Nizamuddin Markaz in two batches. They will now remain at quarantine centres for another two weeks,” said Dr JC Passey, medical director, Lok Nayak hospital.
68 CONTAINMENT ZONES SPREAD ACROSS DELHI
Eight more lanes and blocks in separate localities of Delhi were sealed and notified as containment zones on Friday, taking the total number of such areas in the city to 68.
The eight new containment zones are in L Block of Sangam Vihar in South Delhi, two lanes of Tughlakabad Extension in South East Delhi, B and C blocks of West Delhi’s Hari Nagar, K Block in North Delhi’s Jahangirpuri, a House in Savitri Nagar in Malviya Nagar, K2 Block of Nihal Vihar and a lane in C block of Nangloi in West Delhi, the government said in a statement.
Containment zones are areas that are sealed and subjected to stricter quarantine, isolation, sanitisation, tests and door-todoor health checks to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Containment zones in the Capital range from apartments and plots to lanes and entire blocks within localities. There are areas from where cases of Covid-19 are recorded (usually three or more) and the chance of transmission is assessed as high.