Two deaths and 78 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Delhi on Monday, taking the toll 47 and number of cases to 2,081.
Of the 2,081 cases, 431 people have recovered and there are 1,603 active cases. “A death audit committee has been constituted for the daily audit of each and every death in which the COVID -19 test is positive,” an official statement read.
It added that an advisory has been issued to incorporate the services of AYUSH doctors as well as modalities of AYUSH system for the “prevention and health promotion” during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, five more areas have been declared containment zones, taking the total to 84.
The Delhi government on Monday also started testing people in containment zones using rapid antibody test kits.
The test uses blood samples of a person and gives results faster compared to RT-PCR (real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) tests, which uses nasal or throat swabs.
The rapid antibody tests, however, will not replace RT-PCR tests as the latter is more accurate. Rapid antibody tests will be used for surveillance and monitoring, and not for diagnosis, the Indian Council of Medical Research has said.
“Sixty-two rapid tests were done on Monday in Nabi Karim containment zone. All tested negative. People having symptoms were tested,” said District Magistrate (Central District) Nidhi Srivastava.
Delivery boy
After a 19-year-old pizza delivery man in south Delhi tested positive for COVID-19, 16 people who were “high risk contacts” have tested negative for the deadly virus, said B.M. Mishra, District Magistrate (south Delhi) on Monday.
“All high risk contacts (16 people) of the pizza delivery boy, including the owner of the eatery where he worked and other workers, have tested negative,” the DM added.
No person in the 72 houses within a five-kilometre radius of Malviya Nagar, where he had delivered food, has developed any symptoms, Mr. Mishra said.
Staff accommodation
The Delhi government has also issued an order stating that doctors on COVID-19 duty will be given accommodation in “four or five-star hotels”, supporting staff will be put up in “dharamshalas”, while nurses and paramedics will be provided “hotel accommodation”.
