Delhi: Red Zone criteria becomes stringent; rapid testing kits to be available soon

On Tuesday, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said that if three people are found positive for COVID-19 in an area, then that area will be contained and declared as 'red zone'. Earlier, the Delhi government had already declared contained areas as red zones. Kejriwal had further informed that high-risk areas, where the susceptibility of cases are high, will be declared as orange zones.

Speaking to ANI, Jain asserted that the criteria for in Delhi have become more stringent and said, 

"There are 47 red zones in Delhi now. We have made the criteria more stringent now. Earlier, an area used to be declared a red zone if 10 or more positive cases were found there. Now, if three cases are found in an area, it will be declared a red zone and contained."

He said that an area where one or two positive cases are found is considered an 'orange zone'.

"We have not received the rapid testing kits yet, which is greatly needed. The Central government is about to receive the kits which have been imported. Then we will get them too," he said.

The Delhi Health Minister said the COVID-19 cases have been contained due to the lockdown imposed across the country, otherwise, India's condition would have been like that of the USA. So far, the national capital has reported 1,510 COVID-19 positive cases. 30 people have been cured/discharged/migrated while 28 deaths have been reported here.

READ: Delhi deploys hi-tech Japanese machines for sanitisation to tackle the spread of COVID-19

Meanwhile, The country has so far reported 10,363 COVID-19 cases. Out of these, 1,036 have been cured and discharged or migrated and 339 people have died due to the infection. 

READ: PM Modi's Covid lockdown address not up to Congress' expectations; party disappointed

Arvind Kejriwal backs PM's decision of Lockdown extension

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to extend the COVID-19 lockdown by three weeks till May 3. PM Modi stated that the lockdown had to be extended in order to break the contact chain and stop the spread of the virus.

In a tweet soon after PM Modi's address, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) founder said that the Delhi government will fully support the lockdown and follow all measures.

READ: Kejriwal's AAP advises Uddhav: Rethink closing grocery & other shops in Mumbai's K-W ward

READ: PM Modi extends India's Coronavirus lockdown till May 3; announces additional measures