Delhi: Contact tracing up in city during fests

New Delhi: Contact tracing of Covid-19 positive cases has got a major push due to festivals. In September, on average, two contacts were being traced for each case while in October, 15 contacts are being traced. In some districts, the figure is as high as 18. Contact tracing is important for Covid-19 management and authorities are intensifying focus on this because of spike in cases.

According to a report prepared by the health department, the average contact tracing of positive cases in all the 11 districts was only 2.1 in September as the districts did not focus much on it. The districts, however, swung into extensive contact tracing activities after the experts committee headed by Dr VK Paul of the NITI Aayog laid stress on contact tracing in the revised Covid-19 management strategy.

By October 20, the average contact tracing carried out by all the districts jumped to 13.1. An official said that on October 18, Central district’s average contact tracing was 15, North 14.8, North East 17, South 15.4, South West 17, and West 15. “The figures of all the districts have further improved in the last one week,” said the official adding that contact tracing will become more aggressive in the days to come. Delhi on Sunday reported 4,136 Covid positive cases.

District magistrate (North East) Pankaj Kumar said the current average of his district was 18 and, in some cases, up to 21 contacts were being traced and tested while DM (North West) Sandeep Mishra said the current average of his district was 17.

Contact tracing and follow-up interventions by the district health authorities are key to the containment of the coronavirus spread.

The dispensaries get daily list of persons found Covid-19 positive every day. They call up people and seek details about the persons they have met, including immediate family members. Those unable to talk on phone properly are visited by the frontline health workers like ASHA workers and ANMs.

“It is challenging to trace all the contacts because now that almost all economic activities are permitted, people visit various places, including public transport facilities, markets and shopping complexes. Many people do not even remember whom all they met in the last couple of days,” said an official, adding that tracing is mostly possible at a patient’s home, neighbourhood and workplace. All the contacts are asked to go for Covid-19 tests and those found positive are immediately isolated.

The asymptomatic high-risk contacts are tested between 5 and 10 days since the last exposure, said DM (North West).

With gradual opening up of offices and economic activities, the workplaces are becoming hotspots. In view of the widespread spread of infection of Covid-19, contact tracing strategy needed to be rationalised, felt the experts committee in early October.