Delhi Records Over 2,600 Covid-19 Cases in 10th Week of Outbreak, Containment Areas Drop to 81

The 10th week of the coronavirus outbreak in Delhi saw it record over 2,600 new cases as the national capital entered the 11th week on Monday.

The data from the Health Department says the 10th week (May 4-10) saw 2,684 new cases -- highest in a week.

In a gradual rise, the seventh week (April 13-19) witnessed 849 positive cases, the eighth week (April 20-26) 915 cases and the number of positive cases in the ninth week (April 27-May 3) crossed the four-digit figure to reach 1,631.

The first case of the coronavirus infection in the national capital was reported on March 4 and the first week had only witnessed three cases.

While the number of cases were increasing in double digits till the fourth week (March 23-29), the first week of April -- the fifth week of the outbreak -- had seen a huge jump of 431 new cases.

With one more zone de-contained, and with no addition in the list, the total number of containment zones in Delhi dropped to 81.

"No new addition in the containment zone on Monday. So far, 19 areas have been de-contained and now the active containment zones in the city are 81," an official statement said.

House Number A-30, Mansarover Garden has been removed from the list of the containment zones, the government said.

According to district administration officials, no new cases were found in the areas and so they decided to de-contain the areas.

The last addition in the containment zone was done on April 28, and since then, only de-containment operations have been done in a number of areas.

The areas were sealed after Covid positive cases were found in the locality. After an area is declared a containment zone by the district administration, the Delhi government starts 'Operation SHIELD' - Sealing, Home Quarantine, Isolation and Tracking, Essential Supply, Local Sanitisation and Door-To-Door Checking -- to control the spread of the virus.

The tally of cases in the first week was only three; at the end of the second week (March 9-15), there were only seven cases in the city with one death.

By the third week, the count of the positive cases reached 30 but in the next(March 23-29) more than doubled to 72 and the toll was two.

It was at the end of the fourth week when the Markaz incident was reported and early in the fifth week, more than 2,300 people were evacuated from its building in Nizamuddin.

People from different parts of the country and world were found living under one roof without following any social distancing.

By the end of the fifth week -- between March 30 and April 5 -- the total cases reported in the national capital had crossed 500-mark and stood at 503, with seven deaths.

In the sixth week, more than 650 new cases were reported and the total count of coronavirus infection had touched 1,154. In this week, total 17 deaths were reported in the city, taking the toll to 24.

The next week -- between April 13 and 19 -- not just saw 849 new cases reported, but the death count had also seen a steep hike with 21 deaths -- highest in a week so far.

By April 19, while the cases reported touched 2,003, the toll mounted to 45.

In the eight week (April 20-26) there were even more positive cases reported in the city. With 915 new cases, the positive patient count reached 2,918 with the toll touching 54.

The ninth week of the coronavirus infection in the city witnessed 1,631 new cases with the tally reaching 4,549 by the night of May 3. With 10 new deaths reported that week, the toll stood at 64.

The last week or the week between May 4 and 10, not just witnessed the highest number of cases reported in a week but also broke twice the record of cases reported in a day.

With 2,684 new cases reported last week, the total cases on Monday stood at 7,233. Nine deaths were reported last week and the toll is 73 now.

In terms of the number of cases reported in a day, May 6 and May 7 stood at the top of the chart with 428 and 448 cases respectively.

Before that, 384 cases were reported in a day on May 3.

While the 19 areas are no more a containment zone, however, strict compliance of the lockdown has to be followed in the areas. The SHO concerned and the survey teams, as constituted by the District administration, have to keep a strict vigil in the de-contained areas to make sure that there should be minimum movement of people as per directions issued by the government with regard to the lockdown.

The SDM will need to keep strict vigil in the area for the next 14 days from the date of de-containment. Social distancing and masks are compulsory in the area even for the vendors, and hawkers.

From May 4, Delhi government allowed several relaxations for the city, except the containment zones. The coronavirus cases in the city has been increasing and the tally on Monday reached 7,233 positive cases with 73 deaths.