Delhi L-G asks officials to remain alert to increase in Covid-19 cases
Earlier this month, a committee led by Dr Paul and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), which is helping DDMA draft a revised Covid-19 strategy, had warned that the Capital could witness 15,000 new Covid-19 cases every day in the winters.
Delhi’s lieutenant governor (L-G) Anil Baijal on Friday directed the district administrations to be alert in the light of a potential increase in spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the festive season, scale up health care facilities ahead of winters and intensify coronavirus-related campaigns, senior government officials said.
The L-G was chairing a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), which was attended by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is its vice-chairperson, chief secretary Vijay Dev, NITI Aayog member Dr V K Paul, AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria, and Dr Balram Bhargava, director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), other than senior bureaucrats.
“The L-G advised all (agencies) concerned to intensify surveillance, detection, contact tracing and quarantine of Covid-19 positive cases, while undertaking extensive campaigns. He emphasised on continued and coordinated efforts to combat Covid-19 with regular monitoring and feedback from experts,” Baijal’s office said in a series of tweets after the meeting.
The L-G’s office said, “He interacted with district magistrates, deputy commissioners of police and municipal commissioners and advised field officials to ensure strict enforcement of preventive and protective measures for management of Covid-19 particularly in view of the festive season. Officials were directed to intensify efforts to prevent and mitigate rising air pollutions in Delhi.”
Several officials who attended Friday’s meeting told HT the L-G emphasised on the concerns about the festive season, the winters and awareness campaigns.
Earlier this month, a committee led by Dr Paul and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), which is helping DDMA draft a revised Covid-19 strategy, had warned that the Capital could witness 15,000 new Covid-19 cases every day in the winters.