Muted X-mas celebrations in Delhi amid Omicron fears
New Delhi, Dec. 25: The Christian community in the national capital celebrated Christmas on Saturday with caution as fewer people reached the churches amid concern over the Omicron variant of coronavirus.
On Wednesday, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) had directed the district magistrates to ensure that no Christmas and New Year gatherings take place in the national capital.
However, after receiving various communications seeking clarity, it said on Thursday that religious places will remain open on Christmas and New Year’s Eve for celebrations and prayers subject to strict compliance of Covidappropriate behaviour.
Talking about the midnight mass across churches in the city, Anil Joseph Thomas Couto, the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Delhi, said not many people stepped out for Christmas this year.
“Even though there is no such restriction on visitors, there was confusion regarding the DDMA order. So, not many people have come out this year. People seem a bit anxious due to
the entire situation. We haven’t seen much footfall,” Mr Couto told a news agency.
He said a lot of churches made extra efforts by holding early services last evening.
“Even though churches were prepared to handle the situation keeping the Covid SoPs in mind, the overall environment is not very positive and vibrant,” he said.
Father James Peter Raj of St Luke’s Church in Defence Colony also said that fewer people attended the celebrations this year.
“People were wearing masks and maintaining social distancing but the celebrations were less crowded than usual this
year,” he said.
Centenary Methodist Church in Lodhi Road also had a “subdued service with fewer people in attendance.”
Delhi on Saturday recorded 249 fresh Covid cases, the highest single-day rise since June 13, and one death while the positivity rate mounted to 0.43 per cent, according to data shared by the city health department.The death toll due to the coronavirus infection in Delhi has risen to 25,104. On Friday, Delhi reported 180 fresh Covid cases, the highest since June 16, while the positivity rate increased to 0.29 per cent, according to health department data.
This rise is the highest since June 13 when 255 cases were logged with a positivity rate of 0.35 per cent, while 23 deaths were also recorded on that day.
On Saturday, the positivity rate recorded was also the highest since June 9 when it had stood at 0.46 per cent, according to official data.
The number of cumulative cases on Saturday stood at 14,43,062. Over 14.17 lakh patients have recovered from the infection in Delhi. Six deaths have been reported in December so far.
The spike rise in fresh cases in the span of last few days here is being recorded amid a jump in cases of new Omicron variant of Covid in Delhi.
Seven Covid-19 deaths were reported here in November this year, the highest count of fatalities due to coronavirus infection in the last three months in the national capital, according to official data.
Delhi had recorded four Covid deaths in October and five in September.
A total of 57,295 tests — 52,444 RT-PCR tests and 4,851 rapid antigen tests — were conducted a day ago, the latest bulletin said.