INDIAN health ministry on Wednesday (15) identified 170 districts as hotspots for COVID-19 and another 207 districts as potential hotspots.
The ministry has asked states to classify districts which have reported a higher number of cases as hotspots, and the districts where there are no cases as non-hotspots or green zones.
A detailed direction has been issued to states stating consolidated efforts are needed to use the lockdown period to contain the spread of COVID-19.
India now has nearly 12,000 COVID-19 patients and 392 people have died of the disease.
Health ministry joint secretary Lav Agarwal said that movement of people will not be allowed in containment zones except for those related with essential services and special teams will search for new cases and samples will be collected and tested.
He added that health facilities in buffer zone outside the containment zone will be oriented and people facing COVID-19 like symptoms will be tested there.
"Special teams have been formed which will work in containment zone and do contact tracing and house-to-house surveys. Cases of fever, cough and breathlessness will be identified in the survey and requisite action will be taken as per protocol," health ministry said.
