The Centre on Monday said that the surge in COVID-19 cases in Delhi is the result of the increase in movement of people during the festive season and an overall laxity in maintaining safety protocols, PTI reported. It also said that efforts will be made so that testing gets increased in critical zones.

The government also said that Metro travel should be carefully monitored, following the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

“The recent surge in the number of active cases was attributed to the festival season, which has witnessed greater movement of people, accompanied by laxity in adhering to the basic principles of safe COVID behaviour,” PTI reported quoting a statement by the home ministry.

During a high level meeting chaired by Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Delhi’s COVID-19 situation was discussed in detail. It was reported that out of the 15,789 dedicated COVID-19 beds, 57% were vacant.

The Delhi government said that it has been focussing on more testing, contact tracing and treatment as the active number of cases in the state as well as the new cases are shooting up over the past few days.

However, the government and the Delhi Police Commissioner said that there has been no let up in enforcement and awareness generation, according to PTI.

The strategy to contain spread of COVID-19 in Delhi, especially keeping in view the festival season and decreasing temperatures accompanied by rising pollution, was discussed at length with representatives of the Ministry of Health and the health experts who were also present in the meeting.

It was decided to concentrate efforts in certain key areas, such as targeted RT-PCR testing in sensitive and critical zones such as restaurants, market places, barber shops and salons; gear up the availability of medical resources including beds, ICUs, and ventilators as a preemptive measure; ensure high degree of contact tracing and monitoring of quarantined contacts so as to suppress and break the chain of transmission, the statement said.

It was also decided to enhance enforcement selectively, accompanied by greater awareness creation through targeted IEC (Information, Education and Communication) campaigns; and ensuring that all cases under home isolation were monitored and shifted to hospitals well in time, before any deterioration in their medical condition.

It was also emphasised that Metro travel should be carefully regulated, strictly in accordance with the SOP that has been issued in this regard, the statement said.