The lockdown imposed in Delhi has been extended for another week till 3 May, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Sunday amid a surge of COVID-19 cases in the National Capital.
The lockdown imposed from 19 April was slated to end at 5 am on 26 April.
Kejriwal stated that it had become necessary to implement the lockdown last week and it was the last resort.
“Last week, we had imposed a six-day lockdown, which was supposed to end at 5 am tomorrow (26 April). The intensity, with which the cases are rising, made it imperative to impose this lockdown. This was the last resort against the rising cases in Delhi and it had become essential to do it. But the COVID surge refuses to come down. We took opinions from the people and everybody said that the lockdown should be extended. It is now being extended in Delhi for another week till 5 am next Monday (3 May),” Kejriwal said in a briefing.
Kejriwal further said that the National Capital is witnessing an unprecedented positivity rate.
“The positivity rate has now increased to 36-37%. Such a high positivity rate was never seen in Delhi before. It has come down in the past few days to approximately 29%. I am not saying that COVID is on the verge of going away. We will have to see the numbers for the next few days. It may rise or reduce. I pray to God that we are able to tackle the disease,” he said.
‘Ministers, Officers Working Round the Clock for Oxygen Supply’
Kejriwal further announced that in order to combat the oxygen crisis in the National Capital, an online portal has been started by the government.
“We have seen in the past few days that there has been a shortage of oxygen in Delhi. Delhi needs 700 tonnes of oxygen. We have been allotted 490 tonnes by the Central government, but even that amount hasn’t reached us yet. Till yesterday, only about 330-335 tonnes had reached Delhi. This is one of the biggest reasons that Delhi is facing a shortage,” he said.
Thanking ministers and officers in Delhi, Kejrwal said they were working round the clock to ensure oxygen supply to the hospitals.
“Since oxygen is so precious and scarce in times like these, it has to be managed properly. We have started taking stringent steps for the management of oxygen. We have made a portal and issued orders that every two hours, everybody from the manufacturers to the hospitals have to update the status of the supply,” he said.
Kejriwal further said that the state government has received ample support from the central government in tackling the situation in the state. With over 24,000 new cases, Delhi on Saturday recorded the highest ever single-day death toll with 357 deaths.
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