Amid rising coronavirus COVID-19 cases in Delhi, Health Minister Satyendra Jain on Wednesday said that there will be no lockdown in the national. However, there will be local restrictions in buys places. The health minister also added that maximum tests are being conducted across the national capital.
“There’ll be no lockdown but there can be local restrictions at some busy places. Maximum tests are being conducted which we’ll further increase. The virus can easily spread due to large gatherings during Chhath Pooja hence the restrictions,” said Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain.
This development comes a day after Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that there is no plan for a lockdown or a “mini-lockdown” in the national capital.
“Delhi government has only asked for an exemption from Home Ministry rules to reduce crowding at markets,”
Sisodia said, adding that the government will take measures to reduce crowds at markets in order to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Earlier, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday sought power from the Centre to impose lockdown in those market areas which may emerge as COVID-19 hotspots.
“We are sending a proposal to the Centre to give power to the Delhi government to impose lockdown in market areas which may emerge as COVID-19 hotspots,” the chief minister said. Delhi is also looking at reducing the number of people allowed for public gatherings back to 50.
Delhi recorded 6,396 fresh COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, taking the infection tally in the national capital to over 4.95 lakh, even as 99 new fatalities pushed the toll to 7,812, authorities said.
These fresh cases came out of the 49,031 tests conducted the previous day, while the positivity rate stood at 13.04 per cent amid the festive season and rising pollution in the city, according to the latest bulletin issued by the Delhi health department.
Ninety-nine fatalities were recorded, pushing the toll in the national capital to 7,812. The active cases tally on Tuesday rise to 42,004 from 40,128, the previous day. The highest single-day spike of 8593 cases till date here was recorded on November 11 when 85 fatalities were recorded.