Coronavirus: 20 hotspots sealed, masks made mandatory in Delhi

Taking the fight against COVID-19 to top gear, Delhi government on Wednesday sealed 20 hotspots in the capital, made wearing of masks while venturing out and put curbs on government spending to pool in more money for steps to contain the virus infection.

The government action to seal the hotspots came hours after Uttar Pradesh announced sealing of hotspots in its 15 districts, including in Noida and Ghaziabad that are bordering the national capital.

The frenzied activities came on a day 93 fresh cases, all linked to Tablighi Jamaat and were in quarantine centres, taking the total number of cases to 669. Of the total, 426 are linked to those who attended a religious gathering organised by Tablighi Jamaat in south Delhi’s Nizamuddin in mid-March.

"A total of 20 hotspots have been identified in Delhi, nobody will be allowed to enter or exit from these areas. People stepping outdoors will have to wear face masks compulsorily, action will be taken against those not following it," Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told reporters.

Minutes before, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, "wearing of facial masks can reduce the spread of COVID-19 substantially. Therefore, it has been decided that facial masks will be compulsory for anyone stepping out of their house. Cloth mask shall be eligible too."

Facing fund crunch, the Delhi government has also decided to impose austerity measures in government spending, considering the present revenue status and the money needed in fighting the pandemic. Government departments can now spend money only on salary and any other expenditure that is not linked to COVID-19 would need the permission from Finance Department.

Among the hotspots that were sealed included Nizamuddin, Sangam Vihar, Dwarka, Dilshad Garden, Hauz Rani, Sadar Bazar and Seemapuri among others. In east Delhi, at least three apartment complexes were sealed.

Officials said the health authorities will conduct random testing in these localities to check for virus infection.

On Tuesday, Kejriwal had unveiled a five-point action plan, which included aggressive testing and tracing of people who could have possibly come in contact with COVID-19 positive patients. With one lakh rapid test kits arriving in the capital by Friday, Delhi government has plans to aggressively go in for testing.