Lockdown in Delhi? Kejriwal government mulls weekend restrictions as Covid-19 crisis deepens

Delhi Lockdown: The Arvind Kejriwal government is actively mulling imposing lockdown in Delhi on weekend to tide over Covid-19 crisis, sources told India TV. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal during a meeting with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal today made the proposal to impose a complete lockdown on Saturdays and Sundays.

Earlier this week, Kejriwal had said that lockdown is no solution to slow the spread of coronavirus cases, and that it would be imposed in Delhi only if the “hospital system collapses”. Delhi is currently reeling under the fourth wave of COVID-19. The national capital on Wednesday recorded 17,282 fresh cases of Covid-19, the highest single-day surge since the onset of the pandemic, while 104 new fatalities were recorded, pushing the death toll to 11,540. On Tuesday, the national capital had recorded 13,468 cases and 81 deaths due to the infection, giving it the dubious distinction of being the worst-affected city in the county.

The highest single-day spike in Delhi till the third wave of the pandemic — 8,593 cases — was reported on November 11 in 2020, while on November 18, the city had recorded 131 COVID-19 deaths, the highest single-day fatality count till date.

Delhi’s Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday said that cases were rising very rapidly every single day and “there is no slow down” in the spread of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, amid the massive surge in new cases, the city government has issued an order to augment the number of beds reserved for coronavirus patients at its hospitals, and attach banquet halls and hotels to these facilities.

The city government has already announced a seven-hour night curfew from 10 pm to 5 am in the national capital till April 30 to stop the spread of virus.

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