COVID-19 in Delhi: State crosses 3,000 mark; no deaths reported in last two days

With 190 fresh cases reported in Delhi, the total number of coronavirus cases climbed to 3,108 in the city on Monday, but no fresh death was reported for the second successive day, according to Delhi government authorities.

The cases also include the private secretary of southwest Delhi District Magistrate Rahul Singh, prompting the IAS officer to go into self-quarantine, an official said.

Two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) volunteers engaged in food distribution at a Delhi government-run centres in Mehrauli also tested positive, following which several localities in the city have been declared as containment zones.

The number of containment zones in the national capital rose to 99 on Monday.

After an increase in the number of patients recovered last week - more than 800 in a week - the day saw no fresh recovery of patients.

So far, 54 people have died of coronavirus in the city, officials said.

To ensure proper protection of all those at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19, Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal directed the Delhi government and police, saying there should be no compromise on their safety.

He advised Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Dev and Police Commissioner S N Srivastava to explore local accommodation facilities for frontline workers residing in NCR to reduce interstate movement.

The directions were issued at a meeting to review the arrangements for the enforcement of the lockdown and other measures to contain COVID-19.

"Reviewed preparedness & arrangements for enforcement of lockdown & other measures to contain COVID-19 with CS, CP & other senior officers. Directed CS and @DelhiPolice to make sure that all frontline personnel are properly protected. There should be no compromise on their safety," Baijal tweeted.

The officials said the Delhi government will follow the Centre's guidelines on whether to extend the lockdown beyond May 3 after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal attended a meeting held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Modi held a video conference with chief ministers during the day to discuss the situation arising out of the coronavirus outbreak and measures to deal with it.

"We are preparing our submission, which will be sent to the Centre soon," a senior government official said here.

"The Centre's guidelines on the lockdown will be followed by the Delhi government," he added.

Meanwhile, 10 members of Tablighi Jamaat, who attended its congregation and tested positive for COVID-19, have come forward and donated their plasma to treat severally-ill coronavirus patients in the national capital.

Sources said that those who donated their plasma have recovered from COVID-19 at Sultanpuri and Narela quarantine centres.

In plasma therapy, transfusion of plasma from recovered patients to severally-ill COVID-19 patients is conducted. Convalescent plasma is an experimental procedure for coronavirus patients.

Sources said several Tablighi Jamaat members at different quarantine centres also have volunteered to donate their plasma for better recovery of the COVID-19 patients.

The move comes after an appeal by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal last week to patients who have successfully recovered from coronavirus to donate their plasma for treatment of the COVID-19 patients.

Kejriwal said the initial results of plasma therapy on critically-ill COVID-19 patients have been "encouraging".

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police performed a siren 'parikrama' of Bangla Sahib Gurudwara as a mark of respect for providing food to nearly one lakh people daily amid the ongoing lockdown imposed to curb the COVID-19 spread.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Eish Singhal led the carcade of motorcycles and patrolling gypsies in the 'parikrama'.

The convoy included 35 police vans and 60 motorcycles.

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Taking to twitter, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also appreciated the gesture.

"Good gesture by the @DelhiPolice. Our Gurudwaras have been doing exceptional work in serving people. Their compassion is appreciable," Prime Minister Narendra tweeted from his official twitter handle.