Delhi govt begins door-to-door survey in containment zones amid rising Covid-19 cases

The Delhi government on Friday embarked on a door-to-door survey in Covid-19 containment zones in the capital even as the number of such zones rose to 4,550.

However, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain sought to paint a positive picture saying a reduction in the number of new Covid-19 cases and the positivity rate is a "clear indicator" that the spread of the virus is decreasing in the national capital.

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The survey will be completed in five days covering 57 lakh people in containment zones to identify and test symptomatic people living there.

Teachers, municipal corporation staff, ASHA workers, and civil defence volunteers have been drafted in survey teams, numbering around 9,500. Each team will survey 50 households every day.

The survey came as part of the decisions taken at a review meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and attended by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

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Meanwhile, the number of containment zones in the capital has now touched 4,550 with South-West Delhi topping the list with 743. Six districts out of the total 11 have more than 400 containment zones.

"The positivity rate was 15.26% on November 7. It is less than 11% now. The maximum number of cases (8,593) were reported on November 10. The positivity rate has come down and the number of cases is also reducing gradually. It is a clear indicator that the spread of the virus is decreasing in Delhi," Jain said.

While the average death rate across the country is 1.48%, it is 1.57% in Delhi while it was around 3.50% in June.