Doorstep survey throws up 1,178 COVID-19 cases in Delhi's containment zones, densely populated area

A door-to-door survey conducted under the instruction of the Centre to identify and isolate COVID-19 infected people in Delhi's containment zones and densely populated pockets threw up 1,178 positive cases with a positivity rate of 6.4 per cent, officials said. The five-day survey covered over 57 lakh people in the city's containment zones and thickly populated areas, and identified 13,560 symptomatic people, out of which, 11,790 were tested. Also 8,413 contacts of these symptomatic people were traced, out of which, 6,546 people were tested, they said.

The RT-PCR test reports of a total of 18,336 symptomatic cases and their contacts gave up 1,178 positive results, a Delhi government official said. The survey data showed that the highest number of symptomatic people (3,796) were found in south west district followed by east Delhi 2,744, north west 1,957 and west 1,330. The maximum positive cases (288) were found in Central district followed by 275 in New Delhi, 197 in west, 196 in south west and 118 in south east Delhi. "The number of positive cases found were lower than expected which means the positivity rate is going down, but there could be other reasons for it that will require in-depth analysis of the survey results," the official said. Delhi recorded 5,246 fresh COVID-19 cases in a day as the positivity rate declined to 8.49 per cent, the lowest since October 28, while 99 more fatalities pushed the city's death toll to 8,720 on Wednesday, authorities said.

It was after five days that the national capital recorded single-day death below 100. The city had recorded its highest single-day spike of 8,593 cases on November 11.

Authorities reported 98 deaths on November 19, 118 on November 20, 111 on November 21, 121 each on November 22 and 23, and 109 on November 24.  The National Centre for Disease Control in a report drafted recently had warned that Delhi needs to be prepared for about 15,000 fresh cases of COVID-19 per day taking into account the winter season-related respiratory problems, large influx of patients from outside and festive gatherings. Under the survey, about 9,000 three-member teams equipped with oximetres and thermal scanners surveyed people in 4,456 containment zones and surrounding areas across 11 districts for five days beginning October 20.  The survey was part of various steps decided to be taken in Delhi in view of surging COVID-19 cases, in a high level meeting attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on November 15. PTI VIT SRY