South Delhi pizza delivery boy, who tested coronavirus COVID-19 positive in April, now cured and discharged

The pizza delivery boy in New Delhi who tested coronavirus COVID-19 positive in April was cured and discharged on Tuesday. The report which had gripped the people in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar area with fear, led to the stay in home quarantine of people living in around 72 houses in the area. However, no person in the 72 houses within a five-kilometre radius of Malviya Nagar, where the boy delivered food developed any symptoms.

In mid-April the pizza delivery boy employed with the famous pizza chain in Malviya Nagar's 'Mojo Pizza', which delivers a combo of pizza and box meals and groceries on-demand, tested positive. Confirming the development, Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain had said on April 16 that 17 other delivery boys linked with the infected man have also been placed under institutional quarantine.

"A pizza delivery boy has been detected with COVID-19 here. 17 other delivery boys linked with him have been placed under institutional quarantine and 72 people have been placed under home quarantine," Jain had said.

Sharing more information, South Delhi District Magistrate BM Mishra had said after the delivery boy tested positive, the authorities immediately decided to quarantine his colleagues at the outlet. A detailed trail was followed to identify each house where food was delivered by the outlet.

"We have found that 72 houses had taken delivery from that outlet and hence everyone has been told to follow precautionary measures and be under self- quarantine," Mishra had said.

He had added that there was no need to panic, as he had informed all the delivery boys to use masks and follow the safety measures while executing a delivery. But the decision to send all contact persons to quarantine was ‘necessary'  as a precautionary measure.

The delivery boy underwent treatment at a hospital, while others who came in his contact have also been monitored on a daily basis.

Mojo Pizza had also issued a statement in which it regretted the incident and had said that it has suspended its operation for the time being.

Some of the orders from this outlet were also made through food delivery giant Zomato, which had said that while all colleagues of the delivery boy have tested negative, as a precautionary measure, the restaurant has now suspended operations for the time being.

"All the co-workers of the said rider have tested negative and as a precaution, the restaurant where the rider worked has suspended operations," Zomato had said in a statement.