Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Monday said that the government will not impose a lockdown in the Capital, even as coronavirus cases continue to rise sharply, ANI reported. He added that the third wave of the coronavirus in Delhi had passed its peak.
“I don’t think it [the lockdown] will be an effective step now,” Jain was quoted as saying by the news agency. “Wearing of masks by everyone will be more beneficial.”
Jain said earlier lockdowns in the Capital were a learning exercise, according to NDTV. “What we learnt was that the gains from a lockdown is the same as those from wearing masks,” he said.
Meanwhile, Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla will on Monday hold a meeting with Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan and Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Dev to rework the containment plan in the Capital, Hindustan Times reported. The meeting comes a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the coronavirus situation in the Capital.
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After meeting Shah, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that the number of coronavirus tests in the Capital would be increased from around 60,000 to over 1 lakh. He also said the Centre had promised to provide 750 intensive care unit beds at the Defence Research and Development Organisation centre.
Delhi is witnessing a surge in coronavirus infections. The Capital registered its highest single-day spike of 8,593 cases on Wednesday. On Sunday, however, Delhi reported 3,235 new coronavirus cases. This was the lowest one-day rise in the Capital in a month, according to Mint. The Capital’s tally stood at 4,85,405, while the toll reached 7,614.
On Saturday, Delhi’s Covid-19 test positivity rate rose to a nearly five-month high of 15.3 %, according Hindustan Times.
The sudden spike in coronavirus cases comes amid the festive season and rising pollution levels. While Durga Puja celebrations ended on October 25, Diwali was on Saturday and Chhath Puja will be celebrated later this week.
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