India gate is illuminated with the colors of the Indian national flag as seen from a deserted Rajpath during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus a in New Delhi on April 8, 2020. / AFP / Sajjad
New Delhi- Indian authorities have identified and sealed dozens of hot spots in the Indian capital and the neighboring Uttar Pradesh state comprising residential districts to check the rising trajectory of new coronavirus infections.
Government statements late Wednesday said people will be supplied food, medicines and other supplies at their doorsteps and they will not be allowed to leave these areas.
Authorities also made it compulsory for people to wear face masks when stepping outdoors in areas not covered by these restrictions in the two states.
The sealing of hot spots came as the number of confirmed cases in India crossed the 5,000 mark, with 166 deaths, according to India’s Health Ministry.
India put its entire population of 1.3 billion, one-fifth of the worlds’ population, under lockdown for three weeks until April 14.
Although the new coronavirus cases are spread over roughly 40% of India’s districts, they are concentrated in India’s densely populated urban centers. Mumbai, previously known as Bombay, is the worst impacted.
India’s strategy is focused around identifying "containment zones” where efforts would be targeted on restricting the virus "within a defined geographic area” to break the chain of transmission.
