The Capital reported 3,000 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, taking the total number to 59,746, stated health bulletin by the Delhi government. In the last 24 hours, 63 deaths were reported and the number of deaths were revised to 2,175.
The bulletin also stated that 1,719 patients have recovered, taking the total recoveries to 33,013. There are 24,558 actives cases in the Capital. Also, 18,105 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of tests conducted to 3,70,014. There are 260 containment zones and 12,106 patients are in home isolation.
Meanwhile, a day after rolling back an order for five-day mandatory institutional quarantine for COVID-19 patients, the government issued modified guidelines for allowing home isolation.
An order issued by the Health Department states that all individuals who are positive will be “referred to the COVID-19 care centres for assessment of clinical conditions, severity of illness and presence of co-morbidities”.
Home isolation
Simultaneously, an assessment will be carried out about whether adequate facilities are available for home isolation, including a minimum of two rooms, a separate toilet so that family members and neighbours are protected “and a cluster of cases does not develop in that locality”.
Patients will be allowed to be in home isolation only if these conditions are met and it is found that they don’t have any co-morbidities or require hospitalisation. In such a situation, the order states that patients would be offered to either continue to stay in COVID-19 centres or paid isolation facilities such as hotels.
Those who are home isolated will have to follow guidelines issued by the Union government and would be required to stay in touch with healthcare providers so that if their condition deteriorates they can be moved to a hospital, the order reads.
Shah holds meeting
Meanwhile, at a meeting chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday to take stock of the COVID-19 situation in the Capital, it was decided that delimitation of containment zones will be carried out with strict monitoring and control of the activities within them to effectively contain the spread of virus. Steps were also discussed to increase contact-tracing of those who have tested positive with the help of the Aarogaya Setu app.
At the meeting, recommendations made by a committee formed by the Home Minister on June 14 and chaired by Vinod Paul from NITI Aayog on coming up with a containment strategy for the Capital were discussed, the Home Ministry said. The Home Minister has directed the Delhi government to follow the recommendation of the committee, the Ministry said.
The Home Ministry said that a serological survey will be conducted between June 27 and July 10 in the Capital in which 20,000 samples will be tested to make an overall assessment on the spread of infection so that a comprehensive strategy can be determined. The panel also suggested that each district of Delhi will be associated with a large hospital which will provide all the appropriate support required.
Mr. Shah also directed the Delhi govt. to assess each death that occurred due to COVID-19 to study when the patient was brought to hospital, if the patient was in home quarantine and whether the patient was brought at the right time to the hospital.
After the meeting, AAP said that the Delhi government was closely monitoring the situation and that the CM and Deputy CM discussed key strategies with the Mr. Shah on making contact-tracing more robust and further strengthening of medical services in severely impacted areas.
