New Delhi: In view of the spike in coronavirus cases in Delhi, Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Monday emphasised that the strategies for containment of the spread of Covid-19 should be strictly enforced and implemented.
Chairing a review meeting following an increase in Covid cases in the national capital, Bhalla also stressed the need for reaching out to the residents of Delhi to sensitize them about safe Covid behaviour through RWAs, public announcement system and police vehicles. Bhalla was informed in the meeting that festival season was the major reason behind the spike in Covid cases in Delhi which is witnessing its third peak.
"The festive season witnessed a greater movement of people, accompanied by laxity in adhering to the basic principle of safe Covid behaviour," officials from Delhi government informed Bhalla.
It was told in the meeting that the hospital bed situation was comfortable with 57 per cent of the 15,789 dedicated beds still vacant. It was decided in the meeting to concentrate efforts in certain key areas such as targeted RT-PCR testing in sensitive and critical zones, including restaurants, market place, barbershops among others.
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It was also mentioned that the metro travel should be carefully regulated, strictly in accordance with the SOP that has been issued in this direction. An order was also issued in the meeting to monitor the cases under home isolation, adding that they must be shifted to hospital on time before the condition of the patient deteriorates.
Bhalla said that the Covid situation in Delhi would be reviewed again in the coming week, along with other districts of the National Capital Region (NCR). The meeting was attended by Niti Aayog member VK Paul, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhusan, Dr Balram Bhargava, DG, ICMR, chief secretary and other senior officials of Delhi government.
It may be mentioned that on the previous occasion Union Home Minister Amit Shah has directly intervened to contain the spike in Covid cases in Delhi. With festival season around the corner, the Covid cases in Delhi has been witnessing a sudden spike. In the last 24 hours, Delhi witnessed 1454 new Covid cases with 51 casualties.
On Sunday, Delhi reported 5,664 new Covid cases. The sudden spike was first reported on October 28 with 5673 new cases and for the next five days, the national capital recorded more than 5000 cases on every alternate day.
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