In what can be seen as alarming and disturbing at the same time, a recently conducted survey has claimed a rise of 500% in the number of Covid cases among Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region (NCR) residents in the last 15 days. The survey was conducted by a firm LocalCircles which has been conducting this very survey regularly.

Approximately 19% of the residents responded to the survey, which amounted to 11,743 residents spread across all districts of Delhi and NCR. The survey ‘COVID network prevalence’ stated that these respondents have one or more individuals in their close network who has acquired COVID in the last 15 days.

The participants of the survey were asked, “How many individuals (including children) do you have in your close social network (family, friends, neighbours, colleagues) in Delhi-NCR that have had COVID in the last 15 days?” In reply, 70% said “No one in the last 15 days”, 11% said “1 or 2”, 8% said “3-5”, while 11% “couldn't say”. The firm had asked this similar question on April 2 during which it had found that a mere 3% of residents had someone in their close social network who had acquired COVID in the last 15 days.

The report can be justified as Delhi is witnessing a sudden surge in the number of cases. While India’s daily covid tally saw a 90% jump on Monday (2,183 new cases) as compared to its total on Sunday (1,150 new cases), Delhi and NCR districts are surely the hotbeds for these rising covid infections.

A lot of those being infected in the current boom are children. Authorities are now stepping up and intensifying surveillance for containment of the virus along with planning awareness campaigns for early detection, child vaccinations and to curb the negligence of the general masses.