New Delhi: The weekend curfew in the national capital is likely to be extended as the city continued to register a high number of new Covid-19 cases, ThePrint has learnt. The Arvind Kejriwal government had announced a curfew, starting Friday night at 10pm until Monday morning 6am in an effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Sources in the Delhi government told ThePrint that senior Delhi government officials had already started deliberating on an extended lockdown plan since Saturday evening after the positivity rate crossed 24 per cent. Chief Minister Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal are expected to hold a meeting Monday with senior officials from the government, including the health department, to discuss the future course of action. A formal announcement is likely to be made after the meeting in the afternoon.
Delhi Sunday reported its highest single-day spike yet — 25,462 new Covid cases — as well as 161 deaths, taking the positivity rate to nearly 30 per cent, the highest so far. In the past 10 days, as Delhi cases maintained a sharp upward trajectory, cabinet ministers, including the CM himself, visited Covid facilities and hospitals to take stock of the situation.
Also read: Every 4th Covid sample tested in Delhi found positive, city adds 24,375 new cases in a day
This came amid reports of shortage of beds for Covid patients in hospitals and medicines and equipment. Despite the number of beds, including those with oxygen and ventilator, were increased across various hospitals Sunday, claims that hospitals didn’t have a single bed till Sunday night were shared on Twitter.
The night has only begun and Delhi has already run out of ICU beds @ShaleenMitra @jeevika_shiv @SwetaDash93 @Kissekahaaniyan @inayat_s_kakar @AtishiAAP @Jasmine441 @ArvindKejriwal @saahilmenghani @Milan_reports @AneeshaBedi @ashlinpmathew @Asthasaxena88 @SonaliVaid @gdbindia https://t.co/I0ejexW0nZ
— Malini Aisola (@malini_aisola) April 18, 2021
Meanwhile, CM Kejriwal raised the issue of shortage of oxygen supply with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Commerce & Industries Minister Piyush Goyal, requesting for an uninterrupted supply of 700MT of oxygen on a daily basis.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal writes to PM Narendra Modi:
Situation in Delhi extremely serious, requests reservation of 7,000 of 10,000 hospital beds under the Centre for Covid patients, need for oxygen supply and to increase beds at DRDO. pic.twitter.com/9dA0SeslFS
— Aneesha Bedi (@AneeshaBedi) April 18, 2021
Traders impose their own curfew
The Confederation of All India Traders Association (CAIT) also wrote to L-G Anil Baijal, urging for a lockdown. Traders in several major markets, including Chandni Chowk, have decided to go into lockdown Monday, after a video conference of 150 trade leaders was held Sunday.
Looking at the unprecedented #COVID19 Crisis in Delhi,many prominent markets led by Chandni Chowk have decided on a self imposed #lockdown from tomorrow, after a VC of 150 trade leaders was held today. Several markets to decide tomorrow. @LtGovDelhi @ArvindKejriwal @HardeepSPuri
— Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) (@CAITIndia) April 18, 2021
“Chandni Chowk market association decides to pull down shop shutters till next Sunday in view of ongoing Covid-19 surge, Chandni Chowk Sarv Vyapar Mandal to review decision after assessing condition on April 25,” association president Sanjay Bhargava said in a statement shared with the media Sunday evening.
CAIT national secretary, Sumit Agarwal told ThePrint that several more markets are expected to do the same after discussing the situations on Monday “since the government is taking too long to decide”.
(Edited by Manasa Mohan)
Also read: As Covid toll rises, how is Delhi coping? Largest burial site fears it may run out of space