New Delhi, Apr 28 (IANS): Two people involved in food distribution among the needy in Mehrauli area of south Delhi tested positive for coronavirus on Monday leading several lanes being sealed by the South district administration.
According to an order signed by SDM (Mehrauli) Sonalika Jiwani on Monday, Covid positive cases have been found in Jamali Masjid Baoli, near Pahalwan Dhaba in Ward number 1, Mehrauli.
Since the area was densely populated, she has ordered the entire affected area -- Nirankari Gali, Nakshtra Gali, Nala Boring Gali, Rawan Wali Gali, Jamali Masjid baoli, Dargah Gurudware wali Gali, Thane wali gali and Terminal wali gali - be sealed as one containment zone.
The tally of the containment zones in the city reached 99 on Monday with another location in the New Delhi district being sealed.
House numbers P-65 to P-184 in Pillanji Village were sealed on Monday.
While the administration refused to comment on the political affiliation of the food distributors in the South district, Mehrauli MLA Naresh Yadav said they were volunteers.
According to him, the two positive cases were involved in the food distribution as volunteers in constituency.
He said close to 150 people are working as volunteers in his assembly constituency to help the government in supplying food to the needy.
"They (positive cases) were responsible for food distribution in a few locations. They used to pick food from one location and deliver it at different locations. Three people were working together," Yadav told IANS.
He said one of them had a fever and they decided to test all three.
"Three people were tested and the reports of two are positive, while the third one was negative. Among those tested positive, one had mild symptoms while the other had no symptoms."
Yadav added that the people at the locations where they were serving food will be tested too.
"They (those who tested positive) were corona warriors. They were helping in food distribution among the needy. All the volunteers were taking all the precautions be it masks or sanitisers. How they get the infection will be revealed after detailed inquiry," the MLA said.
He also said that neither of the two are critical.
"I spoke to them. They are fine and eager to join back the work. Both are under 40 years of age," he said.
According to the administration, the families where they were serving food will be tested, if anyone had symptoms.
So far, over 3,000 cases have been recorded in Delhi.