A Delhi police banner requesting people to stay at home is hang at a barricade on a deserted road during the nation wide 21 day lockdown amid concern over the spread of coronavirus, in New Delhi.
Fifty-two members belonging to the Tablighi Jamaat out of 102, who have been found gathered in 13 different mosques in Delhi's Chandni Mahal area, have tested coronavirus positive. In Delhi alone in the past three days, at least 3 Jamaat members who were tested positive for coronavirus have succumbed after getting infected. After these new cases have been found, Nidhi Srivastava, District Magistrate (central) have issued orders to seal the entire area and tracing possible coronavirus suspects.
With 183 cases reported in the last 24 hours, the highest jump so far, Delhi's tally of coronavirus cases crossed the 900-mark, while the containment zones declared by authorities to curb the spread of the disease rose to 30. According to the bulletin issued by Delhi's Health Department, of the 903 cases, 584 are linked to Tablighi Jamaat's Nizamuddin markaz (centre) where thousands gathered last month to attend a religious congregation.
Two more deaths linked to coronavirus were reported, taking the total number of fatalities to 14.
Among the fresh areas that have been included in the list of containment zones are in west, central and south-east Delhi. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday had announced 'Operation SHIELD' to contain the spread of the disease. Sealing, home quarantine, isolation and tracking, essential supply, local sanitisation and door-to-door checking are the key aspects of “SHIELD” in any containment area.
The "Operation SHIELD" has been successful in containing the spread of COVID-19 in the Dilshad Garden area, which was one of hotspots of the dreaded virus in the national capital.
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain issued a statement, saying the hard work of the health officials and the successful implementation of “Operation SHIELD” has made Dilshad Garden a coronavirus-free area. No new cases were reported from Dilshad Garden in the last 10 days, it said.
The government said it would also initiate random testing of residents soon.
According to the statement, under “Operation SHIELD”, 123 medical teams screened more than 15,000 people living in 4,032 houses in east Delhi's Dilshad Garden and hospitalised coronavirus suspects, after seven confirmed cases were reported from the area. The Delhi government, with the help of the city police, imposed a curfew in Dilshad Garden and Old Seemapuri.
(With inputs from PTI)
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