Delhi Revamps COVID-19 Strategy: Aggressive Testing and Contact-Tracing, Redrawing of Containment Zones

New Delhi, June 21: At the high-level meeting called by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday, it was decided to revamp the strategy to contain coronavirus transmission in the national capital. The revamped plan includes aggressive testing and contact-tracing, redrawing of containment zones and monitoring of houses falling outside the hotspots.

The meeting called by Shah was attended by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan and other senior officials. Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain's Condition Improves After Plasma Therapy, Likely to Be Shifted to General Ward.

Shah, during the meeting, reportedly stressed on adhering to the Dr Paul Committee Report - which has enlisted a slew of guidelines to slow down the pace of COVID-19 transmission.

Update by ANI

"Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a meeting, attended by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan and other senior officials. The discussion was held on Dr Paul's Committee Report on Containment Strategy on COVID-19 in Delhi," said the statement issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

Major points of containment Strategy set by Dr Paul are: Renewed delimitation of Containment Zones, strict monitoring and control over the limits and activities within them, Contact Tracing of all infected persons and quarantining of Contacts, including use of Arogya Setu App.

Each house outside containment zones should be listed and monitored, through which Delhi can get complete information, the MHA statement issued after the meeting said was reported as saying by news agency ANI.

COVID-19 positive cases to be kept in a hospital, COVID Care Center or Home isolation, the Home Ministry added. The COVID Care Centers are to be "run properly" with the help of voluntary organizations or NGOs.

"It's been decided that a Serological Survey will be conducted between 27 June and 10 July across Delhi and samples of 20,000 people will be tested. Through this,an overall assessment of COVID infection will be done and a comprehensive strategy will be decided based on findings of the survey," the MHA added.

Delhi on Sunday recorded over 3,000 cases taking the toll of infections in the national capital to 59,746. With the fresh spike, the tally of cases has surged ahead of Tamil Nadu, making the region worst-affected in India after Maharashtra.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 21, 2020 10:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).