Three deaths and 138 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Delhi on Friday, taking the toll to 53 and total number of cases to 2,514. Of the total cases, 857 people have recovered and there are 1,604 active cases.
For the first time since the Delhi government started declaring areas as ‘containment zones’, one such area in east Delhi was on Friday removed from the list after authorities found no new positive case in the locality for four weeks. A containment zone has a stricter form of lockdown and entry and exit of people are not allowed in these zones.
More doctors infected
Meanwhile, a doctor at Safdarjung Hospital told The Hindu that “three doctors working in the medicine ward have tested positive in the last two days. They were working in a non-COVID ward but people with fevers were treated here. The doctors could have been infected by the patients.”
A second doctor at the hospital also confirmed that three doctors were infected.
“In total, five doctors, one nurse and one technician of the hospital have tested positive so far. All of them were on non-COVID duty,” the second doctor said.
When contacted, Dinesh Narayan, Public Relation Officer (PRO) of the hospital, said: “No authentic information is available on this at this point.”
Dr. Balvinder Singh, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, did not respond to multiple calls and messages seeking comment.
Meanwhile, samples of about 50 workers of a kitchen in Delhi government-run Lok Nayak Hospital have also been taken after a female dietician tested positive for the virus, a hospital official said on Friday. The results are expected in two days.
Also, at least four more people working at Delhi government-run Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital in Jahangirpuri, including guards and nurses, tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, taking the total number of infected staff to at least 20, according to a hospital document accessed by The Hindu . Jahangirpuri is one of the 92 “containment zones” in Delhi.
Meanwhile, results of about 160 journalists who were tested by the government for COVID-19 have all returned negative. “I pray for your safety and good health. You guys are also our frontline corona warriors [sic],” Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Twitter.
Naming those tested
Though a list of test results of 162 journalists with their names and other details were found on social media, the Delhi government spokesperson said the government did not release the list. “We have tested more journalists and the results will be out in the coming days,” the spokesperson said.
