COVID-19: Delhi Health Minister says no lockdown but local restrictions may be imposed
Nov 18, 2020
New Delhi [India], November 18 : Amid a spike in coronavirus cases in Delhi, Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday reiterated that there will be no lockdown in the national capital but said that there can be local restrictions at some busy places.
"There will be no lockdown in Delhi and there is no need of it either. We have learned the experience of lockdown. There is no need to repeat it. But there can be local restrictions at some busy places. Maximum tests are being conducted which we will further increase. The virus can easily spread due to large gatherings during Chhath Puja, hence the restrictions," Jain told reporters here.
Earlier this week, the Health Minister said that the third wave of COVID-19 has passed its peak in the national capital.
On Tuesday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the Delhi government has sent a proposal to the Centre, that if needed, markets flouting safety protocols and emerging as COVID-19 hotspots, be closed for a few days.
The Health Minister said that average 60,000 tests are being conducted in Delhi in the last two months.
"In the last two months, on average 60,000 tests are being conducted. No other state is able to do 3,000 tests per million tests in the country except Delhi. We will not stop here and will increase it further. We will increase all types of tests including RT-PCR," he said.
He informed that Delhi reported 6,396 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday while the positivity rate was around 13 per cent.
"Delhi reported 6,396 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, 50,000 tests were conducted. The positivity rate was around 13 per cent. 99 people died on Tuesday and the death ratio is 1.58 per cent. In Delhi, 9,200 beds are occupied and 7,600 are vacant," Jain said.
On November 15, Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a meeting to review the coronavirus situation in the national capital. Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain had also participated in the meet at North Block.
Later, Shah announced several measures, including doubling of RT-PCR tests and strengthening medical infrastructure, to bring under control Delhi's rising number of coronavirus cases.
