KEJRI STICKS NECK OUT WITH 6-DAY CLOSURE

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced a 6-day-long lockdown in the national capital from 10 PM to 6 AM next Monday, while appealing to the migrant workers: "This is a small lockdown. Don't leave Delhi." It will be followed by a night curfew for another five days till April 30.

This comes on the heels of 55-hour curfew imposed till 5 AM on Monday. There was a heavy rush in the markets as people tried to stock up for the lockdown period, though shops of all essential items as also the vegetables and medicines were among a dozen of categories exempted.

Kejriwal announced the drastic measures after a meeting with Delhi's Lt Governor Anil Baijal Monday morning. He told a Press conference that there was indeed a shortage of Oxygen and medicines like Remdesivir and "Delhi's health system is stretched," but all of Delhi is like a family as "even now we will face it together since we have won earlier and we will win again."

The national capital had on Sunday, April 18, registered the highest spike in its daily coronavirus tally with 25,462 new cases, along with a positivity rate of around 30%, meaning one in three samples being tested in Delhi is turning out to be positive. It also recorded the third highest 161 deaths in the country in the past 24 hours. Kejriwal said the number of Corona cases is rising every day in Delhi and restrictions were needed to check the spread of the virus. The Delhi government last Friday had announced sweeping restrictions like closure of malls, gyms and auditoriums and no dining in restaurants but only home delivery to break the chain of the Covid-19 infection. Kejriwal said the lockdown period will be utilised by the government to ramp up health facilities, like adding more beds in the hospitals, replenishing Oxygen supply and that of essential medicines.