New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today announced a weekend curfew as the national capital sees a record surge in Covid infections. With 17,282 fresh coronavirus cases on Wednesday, the city recorded its biggest-ever daily spike.
As the national capital battles the fourth Covid wave, more than 10,000 coronavirus cases are being recorded each day since Sunday.
“We need to do something urgently to control the spike in Covid cases. For this, we have taken a decision that there will be a weekend curfew in Delhi. However, let me make it clear that essential services will be allowed, and people who are getting married will be issued special passes,” the Chief Minister said today in a video address shortly after a meeting with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and other top officials.
Here’s a list of what’s allowed and what’s not amid the weekend curfew in Delhi:
- Only essential services to operate
- Curfew passes for marriages and other permitted activities (including travellers headed to airports, railway stations)
- Gyms, pools, malls, auditoriums to be closed
- Cinema halls allowed at 30 per cent capacity
- 1 weekly market allowed per day per zone
- Only take-aways allowed; no dine-in will be allowed at restaurants
“During the weekdays, a majority of people step out to go to work. But during weekends, people mostly step out for activities that can be avoided,” Mr Kejriwal said this afternoon, urging people to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour.
Calling the ongoing Covid wave “far more dangerous” than anything the city has seen so far, Mr Kejriwal had announced a series of restrictions earlier this week. Besides night curfew, the restrictions included a ban on all gatherings — social, religious or political. The number of attendees at weddings was capped at 50. Only 20 people are allowed at funerals
Across India, over 2 lakh infections were recorded in the last 24 hours in the highest-ever daily surge, taking the caseload to 1.4 crore infections.
Maharashtra, which is the worst-hit state, on Tuesday stopped short of enforcing a lockdown but announced tough restrictions for the next 15 days.
