'Festive season, laxity causes for surge; targetted RT-PCR testing recommended'

New Delhi: The Central government on Monday attributed the recent surge in COVID-19 cases here to the festive season and marked laxity in adhering to COVID-19-appropriate behaviour, adding that the Capital will now be focussing on aggressive contact tracing, testing, and enforcement drives in concentrated "critical zones" of the city.

In a meeting chaired by the Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla to review the COVID situation in Delhi, it was decided to concentrate efforts in certain key areas, such as targeted RT-PCR testing in sensitive zones such as restaurants, market places, barber shops and salons; gearing up the availability of medical resources including beds, ICUs, and ventilators as a preemptive measure and ensure a high degree of contact tracing along with monitoring of quarantined contacts so as to suppress and break the chain of transmission, a statement from the Home Ministry said.

The Centre also emphasised that Metro travel should be carefully regulated as per the prescribed SOPs. The high-level meeting also saw a presentation by the Delhi government on the current situation.

As per Monday's bulletin, the city reported 4,001 new cases, taking the tally here to over 3.96 lakh. However, the relatively low number of new cases came out of the more than 36,000 tests conducted in the last 24 hours, of which 11,137 were RT-PCR tests.

The hospital bed situation was reported to be comfortable with 57 per cent of the 15,789 dedicated beds being vacant, it said. While the new COVID cases and total active cases are going up, the administration is focusing on testing, contact tracing and treatment, the Home Ministry said.

It was, however, highlighted both by the Delhi government officials and Delhi Police Commissioner that there has been no let up in enforcement and awareness generation.

It was also decided to enhance enforcement selectively, accompanied by greater awareness creation through targeted IEC (Information, Education and Communication) campaigns and ensuring that all cases under home isolation were monitored and shifted to hospitals well in time, before any deterioration in their medical condition,

it said.

The high-level review meeting was also attended by V K Paul, Member, NITI Aayog, Secretary, Ministry of Health, Director General, ICMR, Chief Secretary and other senior officers of the Delhi government and the Delhi Police Commissioner.