New Delhi: The number of people in Delhi-NCR reporting someone getting COVID in their close social network has risen by 500 per cent in the last 15 days, a local survey has claimed even as Covid cases in the Capital continued to surge and doctors suggested that a strict mandate for masks be imposed.
The daily positivity rate in the Capital had on Saturday gone above 5 per cent, with over 400 cases detected in a day.
On Sunday, Delhi reported 517 fresh cases, with a daily positivity rate of 4.21 per cent. Active cases have now reached 1,518 and the death toll stands at 26,160.
As for survey, around 19 per cent residents of Delhi-NCR responding to it revealed they have one or more individuals in their close network who has had COVID in the last 15 days. The 'COVID network prevalence' marks an over 500 per cent increase in the last 15 days, said LocalCircles, the firm that conducted the survey.
The survey received inputs from 11,743 residents located in all districts of Delhi and NCR, the firm said.
It asked the respondents: How many individuals (including children) do you have in your close social network (family, friends, neighbours, colleagues) in Delhi-NCR that have had COVID in the last 15 days?
In response, the majority of the respondents, 70 per cent, said: No one in the last 15 days . An 11 per cent said 1 or 2 , eight per cent said 3-5 , and another 11 per cent couldn't say .
The similar question the firm asked on April 2 had found that only three per cent residents had someone in their close social network who were infected with COVID in the last 15 days.
The survey results come as Delhi witnesses a sudden surge in the COVID cases.
Delhi on Saturday recorded 461 fresh COVID-19 cases — 5.33 per cent of all who were tested — and two deaths, according to the data shared by the city health department.
Around 67 per cent of the respondents were men, and 33 per cent were women, said LocalCircles.
It claimed that the survey was conducted among only validated citizens, who had to be registered with LocalCircles to participate in the survey.
The Delhi government, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Health Minister Satyendar Jain have said that they are monitoring the situation carefully and insisted that since the hospitalisation rate is not increasing, there is nothing to worry about.
Therefore, the government has assured residents here that it is prepared to deal with a rise in cases and will enact measures accordingly. The next Delhi Disaster Management Authority meeting is scheduled for this week, after which there will be more clarity on the way ahead.