Cases dip slightly in last 3 days: CM

New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said there had been a slight decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases in the national Capital in the last three days and hoped that it would reduce further in the coming days.

Addressing an online media briefing on the Coronavirus outbreak, Kejriwal said that out of 2,274 samples, only 67 people tested positive for the dreaded virus on Friday.

A few days earlier, the daily tally of infections ranged between 180 and 350 which was a cause of concern, he said.

"In the last three days, there has been a slight decrease in number of Coronavirus cases. I hope it will decrease further instead of increasing in the coming days," Kejriwal said.

The CM also appealed to people living in containment areas to follow rules and don't step out of their homes. "People have been seen on streets in some containment areas which are sealed by authorities to contain the COVID-19 spread.

"It is unfortunate that people in some containment areas step out of their houses and meet neighbours," he said.

"I have already told you (people) that it depends on you whether you will get infected by COVID-19 or not. I request you with folded hands to not step out of your houses in containment zones and strictly follow rules enforced by authorities," the CM said.

The Chief Minister also announced the extension of his government's Rs 1 crore ex-gratia scheme under which families of healthcare personnel currently get the amount if they loss lives while dealing with Coronavirus cases.

The govt has decided that other government employees who are on COVID-19 related duties such as police personnel, civil defence, principals and teachers will come under the scheme, he said. He also said that the government has provided ration to 31 lakh people who didn't have ration cards.

Meanwhile, 31 members of an extended family, including children, residing in north Delhi Jahangirpuri area, have tested positive for COVID-19, officials said on Saturday.

All of them have been sent to a self-isolation centre in Narela, a senior official said. A woman from the minority community, living in Jahangirpuri died on April 8, and her coronavirus test came positive on April 10, another senior official said.

"Twenty-six of the extended family members of the woman tested positive on Friday and rest five tested positive today. All of them are asymptomatic though, and they include children," the official said.

The portion of Jahangirpuri, where they lived, was declared a containment zone on April 10 and sealed, officials said.

Sixty-four people who had come in contact were traced and tested, and 31 tested positive altogether while rest 33 have tested negative, officials said.

Meanwhile, eight new containment zones were added on Saturday, taking their total number in Delhi to 76, officials said.

An area in Civil Lines has been converted into a containment zone after eight people were tested positive on Saturday. Oberoi Apartment in Civil Lines area is being made as containment zone.

The new areas that have been declared containment zones are, A Block, Khizrabad, New Friends Colony; Israel Camp, Rang Puri Pahari; Budh Nagar, Inderpuri; Oberoi Apartment; G-1 2nd Floor Mansarovar Garden; E-51 and E-21 street 8, Shastri Park; T-606 street-18 Gautam Puri; A-97,98,99 near Buland Masjid, Shastri Park.

The Delhi government on Saturday decided to maintain status-quo in the functioning of its departments after April 20 till further orders, an official said.

The Delhi government has ordered officials to move all non-Coronavirus patients from the dedicated hospitals to other facilities by Sunday.