The number of COVID-19 patients under home isolation in Delhi has jumped by over 5,800 in the last 10 days, even as crowding due to festivities, rise in pollution and other factors have led to a massive surge in daily cases since October 23.
The count of home quarantined cases on October 19 was 14,164 which fell marginally on October 20 to 14,046. However, since then, these cases showed an upward trend, and on October 31 the figures stood at 20,093, according to official data.
In this period, the number of containment zones have also increased from 2,724 on October 21 to 3,274 on October 31.
Delhi recorded 5,062 fresh COVID-19 cases on Saturday, taking the infection tally to over 3.86 lakh, even as the positivity rate jumped to nearly 11.5 per cent.
This was the fourth consecutive day when over 5,000 cases were reported in a day.
The highest single-day spike till date -- 5,891 cases -- was recorded on Friday.
After showing a gradual decline since September 22, except on two days, the number of patients under home quarantine, had again risen on October 1, the count being 15,899.
However, from October 2-13 the cases of home isolation gradually dipped, except on two days when it registered a minimal rise. On October 2, the count was 15,852 which came down to 12,176 on October 13, as per the official data.
But the count of home quarantined cases rose again the next day to 12,360 and it steadily rose per day till October 19, when it stood at 14,164. It fell again the next day to 14,046, rising again to 14,227 on October 21.
Between October 21 and October 31, the rise in home isolation cases stood at over 41 per cent, as per the official figures.
Experts have said milling crowd in festive season, increase in pollution level and laxity in behaviour by many people in observing COVID-19 safety norms have led to a massive surge in daily cases in the last few days in the national capital.
So the rise in home isolation cases is a direct result of that, they said.
"Theatres have opened and people are going to markets for festival shopping, this means more public activity and thus greater chance of contracting infection. Besides, pollution is an added factor," Medical Director, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital, Suresh Kumar, said.
People with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other respiratory ailments are more susceptible to suffering fall in their oxygen concentration level, and thus more prone to contract infection from someone else, symptomatic or asymptomatic, he said.
According to doctors, respiratory illnesses like viral influenza increase with a spike in pollution levels, as poor air quality leads to inflammation in the lungs, making it more vulnerable for the virus to penetrate.
"We would advise patients with respiratory illnesses to stay indoor as much as possible. Also, appeal to youth to not assume everything is normal again just because the economy is getting eased. Mask should be worn all time while being outdoor, and social distancing norms should be followed," said a senior doctor of a government hospital.
Delhi government has significantly ramped up testing in the past few days, with the count on several times crossing the 60,000-mark.
It had also been laying a lot of emphasis on home isolation, especially for asymptomatic patients as part of its COVID-19 management strategy in the past several months.
Recently, it was decided to not stick cautionary posters on the walls of houses of patients who are under home isolation.
The Saturday bulletin said 3,47,476 patients have recovered, been discharged or migrated so far while the recovery rate stands over 89 per cent, the bulletin said
On September 21, the number of home isolation cases had increased to 19,213 after steady ascent in its count since the last week of August.
However, it fell by a margin of 749 on September 22 to 18,464, registering a significant fall after a long time.
It fell further down to 17,834 the next day when the the number of containment zones stood at 1,987.
The containment zone count had crossed the 2000-mark on September 24 (2,059) and the 3000-mark on October 27 (3,032), when the the home isolation cases on corresponding days stood at 17,995 and 16,415 respectively.
