The Delhi government on Friday claimed that ‘Operation SHIELD’, aimed at countering the community spread of the novel coronavirus announced a day earlier by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, has stalled COVID-19 from spreading at Dilshad Garden.
In the last 10 days, there had been no reported cases from the area, the government claimed in a statement while terming it as the first instance of the “successful implementation” of the initiative.
“I feared a massive COVID-19 outbreak at Dilshad Garden area after 7 people were found positive. It was transmitted from the woman who returned from Saudi Arabia and found COVID-19 positive. Thereafter, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal issued instructions for the implementation of Operation Shield at Dilshad Garden, which was the first area where it was put in place,” Health Minister Satyendar Jain said.
“As many as 123 medical teams screened more than 15,000 people living in 4,032 houses. Thousands of people were quarantined and tests were done. The hard work of the health officials and the successful implementation of Operation Shield made Dilshad Garden coronavirus-free,” he said.
A 38-year-old woman and her 19-year old son returned to Delhi from Saudi Arabia after meeting her husband on March 10. On March 12, she developed fever and cough, and therefore, saw a local doctor. On March 15, the woman was taken to G.T.B. Hospital where the doctors referred her to Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.
She tested positive on March 17, and the next day, the authorities traced that she had met nearly 81 people after returning from Saudi Arabia. On March 20, her brother and mother also tested positive, on March 21, both her daughters tested positive, and on March 22, the local doctor who first saw her tested positive .
The Delhi government traced all the people who came in touch with the lady and quarantined them via Delhi CCTV camera footage to find out the movement of her son and traced the places or the people he visited.
Curfew was imposed in Dilshad Garden and Old Seemapuri. Delhi Police and Delhi government worked together to make this plan a success, the government said in a statement. The District Administration Officer of Shahdara Dr S.K. Nayak oversaw the whole procedure.
"When the woman tested positive for COVID-19, we rushed to her residence to ask her family for names and addresses of people who had visited them since March 10, the date of her return from Dubai. Her son was not very cooperative, so we had to seek the help of the local police to get information. We also used footage from the CCTV cameras installed near their home to identify some people who needed to be put under surveillance," said Dr. Nayak.
Out of the 11 access points that lead to Sector L of Dilshad Garden, which reported most cases, nine have been completely shut with police barricades and neither vehicles nor pedestrians are allowed, not even essential services ones.
Authorities also announced through microphones to appraise the residents about the situation and urged them to come out if they have met the family.
Under the operation, the Delhi government formed 123 medical teams to tackle the situation of the area.
Each team surveyed around 50 homes and asked a set of question. Any person who has met the family was quarantined or shifted to the G.T.B. Hospital for medical treatment and testing.
In the area, the Delhi government has screened nearly 4,032 houses and nearly 15,000 people. Along with this, an action plan was prepared with the help of the District Magistrate of Shahadra, the government said.
The Delhi government took help from the police and the MCD. The whole area was sealed along with the Old Seemapuri after a Mohalla clinic doctor tested positive.
"The Delhi government is still tracking the people of the area and if there is symptom then they are being quarantined. The Delhi government will also initiate random testing of the residents soon. By working round the clock in the last 15 days, Operation SHIELD was successful at Dilshad Garden. There is not a single positive case in the last more than 10 days from the area," said Dr. Nayak.
