Covid-19: Delhi government seals 20 hotspots across city

The Delhi government, on Wednesday, identified and sealed 20 hotspots across the city to control the spread of corona virus. The outbreak has infected 576 people and killed seven in the capital.

"A few cases have been reported in Sadar area so it has been sealed. Total 20 hotspots have been identified in Delhi, nobody will be allowed to enter or exit from these areas," said Delhi Deputy CM Manisha Sisodia to a news agency.

Making masks compulsory, the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wrote on Twitter that everyone stepping out must wear one. “Wearing of facial masks can reduce the spread of corona virus substantially. Therefore, it has been decided that facial masks will be compulsory for anyone stepping out of their house. Cloth mask shall be eligible too," wrote Kejriwal.

While the government hasn’t released the list of areas yet, according to various sources, the 20 hotspots that are likely to be sealed are:

1. Street near Gandhi Park, Malviya Nagar, New Delhi
2. Gali No 6, L1 Sangam Vihar, New Delhi
3. Shahajahanabad society, Plot No 1, Sector 11, Dwarka
4. Dinpur Village
5. Markaz and Nizamuddin Basti
6. Nizamuddin West (G and D block) areas
7. B Block Jhangirpuri
8. H No 141 to H No 180, Gali No 14, Kalyanpuri Delhi
9. Mansara Appartments, Vasundhara Enclave, Delhi
10. 3 streets of Khichirpur, Delhi
11. Gali No 9, Pandav Nagar, Delhi 110092.
12. Vardhaman Appartments, Mayur Vihar, Phase I, Extension, Delhi
13. Mayurdhwaj Appartments, IP Extension, Patparganj, Delhi
14. Gali No 4, from H. No. J- 3/115 (Nagar Dairy) to H. No. J- 3/108 (towards Anar wali Masjid Chowk), Kishan Kunj Extension, Delhi
15. Gali No 4, from H No J-3/101 to H No. J-3/107 Krishan Kunj Extension Delhi
16. Gali No 5, A Block (From H No. A- 176 to A-189), West Vinod Nagar, Delhi 110092
17. J, K, L & H Pockets, Dilshad Garden
18. G, H, J, Blocks, old Seemapuri
19. F-70 to 90, Dilshad Colony
20. Pratap Khand, Jhilmil Colony

So far, several pockets in the city have been declared containment zones, including parts of Nizamuddin, Dilshad Garden, Vasundhara Enclave, Kalyanpuri, Pandav Nagar, Krishan Kunj, Khichripur, Malviya Nagar, Sangam Vihar and Patparganj.

According to the Health Ministry, an area with 10 or more cases of an infection is called a cluster and if multiple clusters develop in any region and have the potential to spread the infection further, it is called a hotspot.

After an area is declared a hotspot or has the capacity to be a hotspot, the authorities have the right to restrict the movement of the people and seal the area making it a containment zone -- locking down a defined geographic area to contain the outbreak of COVID-19.

The containment zones, created to map the local transmission of the disease and prevent the contagion from spreading, are announced by the office of the district magistrate. It completely shuts the movement of the common people with the authorities taking care of the essential supplies.

Earlier on Wednesday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal held a meeting, via video-conferencing, with members of Parliament from Delhi regarding the prevailing coronavirus situation in Delhi.

Uttar Pradesh has also announced a complete lockdown of the hotspots in 15 districts, which include NCR's Noida and Ghaziabad.