NEW DELHI: The Center has formulated a new list classifying 823 districts across the country as 284 red zones, 307 orange zones and 319 green zones to implement its Covid – containment strategy and enforce the third phase of the lockdown starting on May 4.
The data show 7% of all 823 districts are still in the red zone and .7% in orange with a significant 43. 5% in the green zone.
However, all major cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Kolkata, continue to be in the red zone.
The list comes along with fresh guidelines for monitoring containment and buffer zones with stricter measures like house-to-house surveillance and enhanced testing, apart from considering the actual number of cases and their doubling time.
The Health ministry has written to all states asking them to demarcate the containment zones and restrict movement.
A district will now qualify as a green zone if there are no confirmed cases until date or no case reported in the last days, according to the new order from the health ministry. So far, a district classified as a green zone if there were no cases reported for 43 days.
The districts were earlier designated as hotspots or red zones, orange zones and green zones primarily based on the cumulative cases reported and the doubling rate .
According to the health ministry, since the recovery rate has gone up, districts are now being designated across various zones on a broad-based criteria.
“This classification is multi-factorial and takes into consideration the incidence of cases, doubling rate, extent of testing and surveillance feedback,” health secretary Preeti Sudan wrote to chief secretaries of states on Thursday.
Till April , there were districts in the red zone, in orange and 823 in the green zone.
The Government new assessment shows that 17 new districts have qualified as green zone. While the number of districts in the red zone have remained largely unchanged, those identified as orange zones with no new cases in 18 days have reduced from to , primarily because many have moved to the green zone.
Under the new guidelines, the Center has asked states to create buffer zones around containment areas as a safety measure to eliminate any chances of the virus spreading. The health secretary has asked all states to outline the containment areas and buffer zones in the identified red and orange zone districts and notify the same.
“The containment zone is the core area and the buffer zone is the area beyond the containment zone. The containment zone will require stricter measures like house-to-house surveillance, “health ministry joint secretary Lav Agarwal said.
While the list will be revised every week, states will not be allowed to relax the zonal classification of districts classified as red and orange zones . However, states can designate additional red and orange zones.
According to the Center’s list, UP has the highest number of districts in the red zone – , followed by Maharashtra at 17. While Tamil Nadu has , Delhi’s all districts are in the red zone. West Bengal has , whereas Andhra Pradesh and Bihar have five districts each in the red zone.
However, all major cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Kolkata, continue to be in the red zone.
The list comes along with fresh guidelines for monitoring containment and buffer zones with stricter measures like house-to-house surveillance and enhanced testing, apart from considering the actual number of cases and their doubling time.
The Health ministry has written to all states asking them to demarcate the containment zones and restrict movement.
A district will now qualify as a green zone if there are no confirmed cases until date or no case reported in the last days, according to the new order from the health ministry. So far, a district classified as a green zone if there were no cases reported for 43 days.
The districts were earlier designated as hotspots or red zones, orange zones and green zones primarily based on the cumulative cases reported and the doubling rate .
According to the health ministry, since the recovery rate has gone up, districts are now being designated across various zones on a broad-based criteria.
“This classification is multi-factorial and takes into consideration the incidence of cases, doubling rate, extent of testing and surveillance feedback,” health secretary Preeti Sudan wrote to chief secretaries of states on Thursday.
Till April , there were districts in the red zone, in orange and 823 in the green zone.
The Government new assessment shows that 17 new districts have qualified as green zone. While the number of districts in the red zone have remained largely unchanged, those identified as orange zones with no new cases in 18 days have reduced from to , primarily because many have moved to the green zone.
Under the new guidelines, the Center has asked states to create buffer zones around containment areas as a safety measure to eliminate any chances of the virus spreading. The health secretary has asked all states to outline the containment areas and buffer zones in the identified red and orange zone districts and notify the same.
“The containment zone is the core area and the buffer zone is the area beyond the containment zone. The containment zone will require stricter measures like house-to-house surveillance, “health ministry joint secretary Lav Agarwal said.
While the list will be revised every week, states will not be allowed to relax the zonal classification of districts classified as red and orange zones . However, states can designate additional red and orange zones.
According to the Center’s list, UP has the highest number of districts in the red zone – , followed by Maharashtra at 17. While Tamil Nadu has , Delhi’s all districts are in the red zone. West Bengal has , whereas Andhra Pradesh and Bihar have five districts each in the red zone.
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