Community transmission of Covid a possibility in Delhi: Jain

New Delhi, April 19 (IANS) Asserting that no community spread of coronavirus has happened in Delhi, Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Sunday, however, warned it can be a possibility as there are cases in which the government is not aware about the source.

Talking to media here, Jain said only experts can tell better if the community transmission of disease has started.

“While experts can tell better if the community transfer has started, but there are cases in which we are not aware about the source. While it is not being said, it (community spread) is possible. We spoke to the Central government as well. As of now, no community spread has happened in Delhi or in any other part of the county. However, it may spread if people continue to be with the community,” he said.

Stage 3 or local transmission is the community transmission, when infections happen in public and the source for the virus cannot be traced.

To avoid any such transmission of coronavirus, a nationwide lockdown has been imposed by the Centre till May 3.

A total of 736 coronavirus tests were conducted in Delhi on Saturday and 186 were positive.

“All the cases reported on Saturday were asymptomatic. Even 31 people from an extended family were also not showing symptoms,” Jain said.

The Health Minister warned that the asymptomatic patients do not carry any symptoms “but can infect others”.

On dropping the mention of the Nizamuddin Markaz cases from the Delhi Health Bulletin, he said there have been no new cases from the Markaz in the last four days.

“A round of testing for all the Markaz patients have been done and no new cases were reported in the last four days.”

More than 2,300 people from different parts of the country and the world were living in the Nizamuddin Markaz building, before they were evacuated earlier this month. At least 1,080 people were tested positive.

So far about 1,900 coronavirus cases have been reported in Delhi with 43 deaths. While 207 people have recovered, 1,643 cases are active as onf Sunday morning. About 80 containment zones have been formed across the city after cases were found in localities.

Amid the current situation of increasing cases, the Delhi government has decided to not relax the lockdown from Monday, as directed by the Centre.

–IANS

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