Delhi now has 633 sealed zones

NEW DELHI: The number of containment zones in Delhi increased to 633 on Friday with the officials of various districts breaking the bigger areas into smaller pockets.

The cumulative count of Covid-19 cases also jumped to 1,09,140 with 20,189 new cases emerging in the capital. The death toll too increased to 3,300 with 42 new casualties on Friday.

According to the state health bulletin, the city currently has 21,146 active patients, including 12,272 in home isolation, 4,613 in hospitals, 2,012 in Covid care centre and 162 in Covid health centres. As many as 84,694 have recovered so far.

The total number of tests conducted in Delhi reached 7,47,109 with 10,129 RTPCR and 12,832 rapid antigen detection tests conducted on Friday. From Wednesday's 458, the number of sealed zones increased by 175, the official added.

Breaking larger containment zones into smaller segments was part of the government's new delineation strategy for better surveillance, management and identification of those with influenza-like illness (ILI) symptoms and high-risk contacts for screening and isolation.

The government had started delineating the containment zones in the last week of June when the number of such areas had surged from 280 to 421 between June 26 and 28.

According to officials, the government has now issued fresh guidelines to test the direct contacts of Covid-19 patients in the containment zones. Those with ILI symptoms and high-risk individuals would be tested thrice through rapid antigen kits within 15 days of sealing an area.

The order, issued by the directorate general of health services has said the same set of people falling in these three categories would have to be screened and tested between the first and third day of containing an area, then between the fifth and seventh day and again between the 13th to 15th day.