Coronavirus cases spike in Delhi! Positivity rate jumps in crowded market areas

Coronavirus pandemic could not dampen the spirit of the festive buyers and sellers in the national capital where heavy footfall was witnessed at markets ahead of Diwali. However, the rate of spread of infection in these crowded markets have also increased as several shopkeepers in West Delhi tested positive for Covid-19, reports IE.

According to the official data, around 225 store owners with their stores in Jail Road, Tilak Nagar, Raghubir Nagar were made to undergo coronavirus tests and 41 among them-more than 18% tested positive. The district surveillance officer mentioned that all samples went through RT-PCR tests.

The shops whose managers or owners tested positive on Sunday were made to shut down for at least three days by the West Delhi administration. West Delhi District Magistrate, Nehal Bansal expressing concern about the spread of infection said that the testing is mandatory as market associations are paying no heed to implement preventing measures. The DM further requested shopkeepers to cooperate realizing the consequences of the potential spread of coronavirus infection among customers in crowded shops.

In Raghubir Nagar market 10 out of 60 samples tested positive, the highest. At Jail Road market 20 out of 81 tested positive while in Tilak Nagar 11 shopkeeper of 84 had their samples turn positive.

Underlining that contact tracing is near impossible in these markets teeming with customers, a surveillance officer expressed concern over people not abiding by basic norms to prevent contracting infection like wearing a mask.

Central Delhi that is home to markets like Sadar Bazar, Kamala market, Azad Mandi has testing booths set up at Kashmere Gate Interstate Bus Terminus, informed DM Arava Gopi Krishna. Total 650 RT-PCR tests have been conducted at the markets with shopkeepers and customers so far and the standard protocol is the shops of owners who tested positive were shut for two days for sanitization work.

Delhi is grappling with the third wave of Covid. Health Minister Satyendar Jain announced strategy of targeted testing at busy markets and crowded areas. 37, 795 active cases recorded as on Monday. Over 5000 new cases surfaced on the second day of this week with 71 deaths. In the last two week, 16000 new cases have been recorded. Targeted testing was ramped up in densely populated areas of Central and West Delhi.