New Delhi: The slide in the number of fresh COVID-19 cases, deaths and positivity rate in Delhi can be attributed to aggressive containment measures, a segment of population achieving immunity and fewer outside patients, experts said on Friday. Some of them, however, noted that it is hard to "ascertain the actual position" as many people having mild symptoms have been skipping testing. Suresh Kumar, the medical director of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital, Delhis largest health facility, said authorities have been able to contain the coronavirus spread through aggressive testing and contact tracing. "Whether Delhi has achieved herd immunity will be clear once the results of the latest serological survey arrive", he further added. According to Dr. Ajit Jain, the nodal officer for COVID-19 at Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital, Delhi may have achieved herd immunity already. The serological-survey conducted in August found that 29.1 per cent of the citys residents have developed antibodies against COVID-19. Besides, 35 per cent of the population is aged below 18 and is almost immune to the disease, he said. Exposure to viruses causing common cold can also provide partial immunity against the coronavirus. This is called cross-immunity . Around five per cent of Delhis population is immune to COVID-19 due to this factor, Jain said. Another reason is that Delhi has become a natural containment zone due to the farmers agitation on its border points, he said. Earlier, a large number of COVID-19 patients from neighbouring states were coming to Delhi for treatment. This number has reduced to a large extent due to the difficulty in travel due to the ongoing protest, Jain said. Around 30 per cent of the coronavirus patients admitted to Delhi hospitals in August last year were from other states, according to government data. Non-residents also accoun-ted for more than half the number of deaths reported in the national capital between August 3 and August 28 last year, it showed.Dr. Suneela Garg, director and professor in the department of community medicine at Maulana Azad Medical College, said a segment of Delhis population achieving immunity could be one of the reasons behind the declining trend in new COVID-19 cases and deaths. Meanwhile, Delhi recorded 266 fresh COVID-19 cases and seven deaths due to the virus on Friday, with the positivity rate rising to 0.37 per cent. The tally of COVID-19 cases stood at over 6,33,542 in the city and the death toll due to the viral disease mounted to 10,789, authorities said. With pti inputs

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