No containment zone in Jalandhar district

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 31

While the district at one point had as many as 50 areas under containment zones, the areas have now been reduced to a mere three cluster zones.

In the fresh guidelines issued on May 29, the district administration listed the three areas as cluster zones and as per directions of the Civil Surgeon, it was also declared that none of these areas will be sealed by the police.

Currently not a single area in the district has been sealed as no area is under containment zone. The three areas which have been declared as cluster zones are the Industrial Area, Red Cross Bhawan and New Jawahar Nagar.

Notably, the Covid cases in the district have risen from 239 on Thursday to 251 on Sunday in four days. However, cases being scattered, as per the Health Department, there is no need to put any area under the containment zone.

With 251 positive till today, 209 of them have been discharged in the district.

The Health Department can call for sealing of any area, depending on the Covid spread or threat being perceived in the area.

Interestingly, much like changed SOPs on patient discharge, the new guidelines for cluster/containment zones have more to do with the Central guidelines on containment than actual recovery among patients.

With total active cases in Jalandhar coming down to 16 on May 28, cluster zones were reduced to three localities. Parts of Industrial Area, Lajpat Nagar and Jawahar Nagar are declared as cluster zones.

While the past three days have also seen cases from Dalla village (3), Rasta Mohall (2), Focal point (2), New Model House (1) and Bhargo Camp, Aman Nagar, Boparai village and New Defence Colony (1 each); the containment zone list hasn’t been revised to add any other localities or villages as yet.

Civil Surgeon Gurinder Kaur Chawla said: “None of the areas in Jalandhar are either sealed or under containment zone right now. Only areas with over 15 cases can be containment zones and those with over two cases cluster zones. However, we are keeping strict surveillance in these areas. Cases at many previous hotspots, including recent ones, have been reduced. Areas can be sealed if the possibility of a threat or spread of infection arises. But at present, there is no such need. The scenario will change from time to time as per reportage of the cases.”

Jalandhar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said: “We aren’t sealing or restricting movement of residents in any area right now. This is strictly as per the department guidelines conveyed to us. However, our officials and personnel are extending all help to the Health Department. Police personnel also accompany health teams during contact tracing or surveillance, if required.”

Five new cases, count 251

• With the five new cases in the district, the count in the district has risen to 251. While three cases were reported on Saturday evening, two were tested positive on Sunday. The three cases reported on Saturday evening include a woman (38) and her son (15), Dalla village residents and contacts of a man, who had tested positive in the past. The third person is a 24-year-old resident of Boparai village in Jalandhar.
• A 51-year-old man, contact of a Lajpat Nagar industrialist who was tested positive earlier, and a 47-year-old BSF man were tested positive on Sunday. The BSF man, who had returned from Delhi where he had been under 14-day quarantine, found positive after he was tested at the flu corner in the city. Of the 251 positive cases, 33 are active and 209 are discharged.

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