Restrictions will apply to Shaheen stir: Govt
NEWDELHI: Despite the Delhi government’s announcement on Monday barring any formal gathering of over 50 people in view of the Covid-19 outbreak, protesters at Shaheen Bagh said they will continue their agitation.
Delhi chief minister Arvind
Kejriwal announced all social, cultural, political, religious, academic, sports, and family gatherings of over 50 people are barred in the national capital. To a specific question about the antiCAA protest at Shaheen Bagh, Kejriwal said the rule will apply to all such gatherings.
officials to install hand-wash dispensers across Delhi.
The chief minister said the order would extend to the protests in the city, including the Shaheen Bagh stir. “We are following all the guidelines being issued by the Centre,” he added.
“We have arranged sufficient beds if cases increase and hospitalisation is needed. Quarantine facilities have been set up at three hotels - Lemon Tree, Red Fox, IBIS,” the CM said.
The coronavirus infection, which is believed to have originated at a seafood market in China’s Wuhan in December last year, has so far spread to about 150 countries, and infected about 175,000 people. While Wuhan took the biggest hit from the outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO) says that Europe has become the new epicentre of the public health crisis.
Shortly after Delhi’s announcement, the Union government prohibited the entry of passengers from EU countries, Turkey and the UK from March 18 till March 31.
“No airline shall board a passenger from these nations to India with effect from 1200 GMT on March 18. The airline shall enforce this at the port of initial departure,” the government said, adding that the instructions will be in force till March 31 and will be reviewed subsequently.
“Expanding compulsory quarantine for a minimum period of 14 days for passengers coming from/transiting through UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait,” it added.
After a meeting of the group of ministers (GoM) on the coronavirus infections, the government said contact tracing of the all cases led to the identification of more than 5,200 people, who were being closely monitored.
The GoM held its seventh meeting on Monday and after deliberations, social distancing measures as a preventive strategy were proposed for implementation, said Lav Aggarwal, joint secretary in the health ministry.
He added that the key measures proposed included closure of all educational institutions – schools, colleges and universities – shopping malls, gyms, museums, cultural and social centres, swimming pools and theatres.
Private sector organisations and employers are being encouraged to allow employees to work from home wherever feasible, Aggarwal said.
“Non-essential travel should be avoided. Buses, trains and aeroplanes should maximise social distancing in public transport, besides ensuring proper disinfection of services,” he said.
Restaurants should ensure hand-washing protocol and proper cleanliness of frequently touched surfaces, the official said. The restaurants should also ensure physical distancing of minimum one metre between tables and encourage open-air seating where practical with adequate distancing, he added.
Outside India, bars, restaurants, cinemas and schools were shutting down from New York and Los Angeles to Paris and Dubai in a worldwide effort to combat the coronavirus pandemic, as financial markets tumbled despite emergency action by global central banks.
The US Federal Reserve cut interest rates for the second time in less than two weeks, but Wall Street opened with a dizzying plunge that set off circuit breakers.
In Italy, hardest-hit country in Europe, there were 368 new deaths from the Covid-19 outbreak on Sunday, a daily toll more dire than even China was recording at the peak of the outbreak that first hit its central city Wuhan.
Spain and France, where cases and fatalities have begun surging at a pace just days behind that of Italy, imposed severe lockdowns over the weekend.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Sunday he was ordering restaurants, bars and cafes to sell food only on a takeout or delivery basis. He also said he would order nightclubs, movie theatres, small theatre houses and concert venues to close.