The Delhi government has started conducting targeted COVID-19 tests in markets and other crowded areas to strengthen its surveillance mechanism, the city’s Heath Minister Satyendar Jain said on Wednesday amid a surge in daily coronavirus cases in the national capital in the last few days.
Delhi recorded over 6,700 fresh COVID-19 cases for the first time on Tuesday taking the infection tally in the national capital to over four lakh, while the positivity rate was recorded at 11.29 percent amid the festive season and rise pollution levels.
Interacting with reporters, Jain said, the current pandemic situation in the national capital, can be termed as its “third wave”.
It was decided to concentrate efforts in certain key areas, such as targeted RT-PCR testing in sensitive and critical zones such as restaurants, market places, barber shops, and salons; gear up the availability of medical resources including beds, ICUs, and ventilators as a preemptive measure and ensure a high degree of contact tracing along with monitoring of quarantined contacts so as to suppress and break the chain of transmission, the statement said.
Jain told reporters, “Targeted testing has started in market places and other densely crowded areas”. Asked if there these tests will be all RT-PCR ones, he replied RT-PCR tests will also be increased.
As to why COVID-19 cases in Delhi are rising whereas it is showing a declining trend elsewhere, he said, “We are doing aggressive testing and contact tracing. These may be why daily cases are high. About other places, I cannot comment.”
Jain also acknowledges that he was getting reports that many people were either lax in adhering to safety norms or not wearing masks at all.
Jain also said in the initial days of the pandemic, more cases were coming from congested areas.
“This time, more cases are being recorded in upper-middle-class and middle-class segments, and they have an inclination to go to private hospitals. But treatment protocols are the same in private and government hospitals. Beds are available in government facilities,” he said.
Delhi had recorded over 5,000 daily cases for five days on the trot, ending Sunday when the count stood at 5,664. The number of containment zones in Delhi increased to 3,453 on Tuesday from 3,416 the previous day.
The sudden spike in cases comes amid the festive season and rising pollution level. While Durga Puja celebrations ended on October 25, the next major festivals are Diwali and Chhath in November.
source: https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/health/targeted-covid-19-testing-begins-in-market-places-crowded-areas-in-delhi-satyendar-jain/2120942/