States begin to unlock as Covid-19 cases ebb
India sees lowest infections in two months, nudging states to reopen in part with caution
Some of India’s states are easing lockdown restrictions as coronavirus infections subside, with the country on Saturday logging its lowest daily case count in nearly two months.
On Saturday, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced various relaxations, allowing Delhi Metro trains to operate with 50% capacity and shops in markets and malls to reopen on odd-even basis from June 7 as he asserted that the city’s economy needs to be revived in view of improving Covid-19 situation.
The city-state also allowed all standalone and neighbourhood shops to function, implying that liquor vends will reopen from Monday when all the new relaxations will come into force in the national capital. However, establishments like cinemas, theatres, restaurants (except home delivery and take away), bars, gyms, spas, barber shops, salons and beauty parlours will remain closed till further orders. Any shop pertaining to entertainment and amusement services will also remain closed, Kejriwal said at an online media briefing.
Home delivery through e-commerce platforms has also been allowed. According to the Delhi Disaster Management Authority, the ongoing lockdown, which was imposed on April 19, has been extended by one more week (up to June 14).
On Saturday, Delhi recorded 414 Covid-19 cases and 60 fatalities, while the positivity rate stood at 0.53%.
In Uttar Pradesh, the state government extended the relaxations in the coronavirus curfew to Bareilly and Bulandshahr districts from Monday, allowing shops and markets outside the containment zones to open for five days a week.
The decision was taken after the twin districts recorded a fall in the number of active Covid-19 cases, settling below the 600mark. In a statement issued on
Saturday, the UP government said the relaxations will come into effect from June 7, and will remain in force for five days (Monday to Friday) from 7 am to 7 pm. However, the night curfew and weekend curfew will continue.
With this, the number of districts, where the count of active cases have fallen below the 600mark has reached 67, the statement said.
On May 30, the UP government had relaxed the Covid-19 lockdown in 55 of total 75 districts in the state. In the 24 hours to Saturday, 1,092 fresh Covid-19 cases were reported in the northern state.
In Maharashtra, the government late on Friday announced a five-level plan to ease restrictions depending on infection rates and hospital bed occupancy from June 7. In level-one areas -- with infection rates below 5% and hospital bed occupancy below 25% -- all shops, malls, movie theatres, restaurants and offices will be allowed to reopen.
But level-five districts -- with infection rates over 20% -- will remain under severe movement restrictions.
In Gujarat, all government and private offices will be allowed to operate fully staffed from June 7, instead of the current restriction of 50%. The Guj