Gradual rise in Covid cases in Delhi, district officials increase surveillance

New Delhi: With an uptick in Covid cases here, district authorities have intensified surveillance and are on alert mode for early detection and containment of people infected with the disease.

Some districts have also planned awareness campaigns from next week. The daily Covid cases and the positivity rate in the national capital have seen an upward trend in the last few days. The positivity rate in the last five days, between April 10 and April 15, has increased by three times, according to city health department data.

The positivity rate on April 10 was 1.29 per cent with 141 cases, and this rose to 3.95 per cent on Friday with 366 cases.

Surveillance teams are active, on alert mode and are monitoring the situation, a senior official of the South District administration said.

"Our surveillance is on. We are focusing more on testing and contact tracing. Symptomatic people are being tested. Contact tracing and surveillance was never stopped and now we are putting more emphasis on it," the official told PTI.

The official said that the district administration will further enhance containment strategies and ensure strict enforcement of Covid-appropriate behaviour, including wearing of masks, if suggested by the DDMA in its April 20 meeting. The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) will meet on April 20 to discuss the rise in Covid cases and also decide upon reimposing the penalty on not wearing face mask.

The health department in its order on April 2 had said that fine will not be imposed on not wearing of face mask at public places. Some district have shown an upward trend in the number of Covid cases in last couple of days.

Government figures show that the highest number of Covid cases (81) on April 14 was reported in the South District while on April 13, this number was 44.

On April 14, the number of cases in the Southeast District was 72 while on April 13, it was 53. Lowest number of Covid cases was reported on April 14 in the Northeast, the North and the Central districts with one, six and nine patients respectively.

A southeast district administration official said that all necessary measures are being taken to contain the virus' spread and an awareness campaign will begin in the region from Monday. He said that the current uptick in Covid cases may also be because many people have stopped using masks at public places after the penalty was lifted.

Our awareness campaigns will be started from Monday onwards. In the campaign we will appeal people to wear masks and follow social distancing. We are keeping a close vigil on the situation," the official said.