New Delhi | Jagran News Desk: The Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi might soon impose a night curfew in the national capital in wake of rising COVID-19 cases across the country, said Dainik Jagran sources. Though the Delhi government has not made an official statement over this, the Jagran sources have said that it will soon announce a night curfew and is currently preparing the guidelines for it.
Last week, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) had directed district magistrates (DMs) to ensure no Christmas and New Year gatherings take place in the national capital and identify potential COVID-19 superspreader areas. It also asked the officials to ensure that appropriate COVID-19 norms, including usage of face masks, are followed.
"All district magistrates shall conduct an intensive survey of the entire area falling under their jurisdiction and identify those pockets, colonies markets and crowded places which have the potential of becoming superspreaders of coronavirus and its Omicron variant," the DDMA said in an order.
Delhi, one of the worst-hit cities in India, is suddenly witnessing a spike in COVID-19 and experts fear that it could lead to another wave if Christmas and New Year celebrations are not restricted. On Saturday, Delhi reported 249 new COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day rise since June 13 this year, with a positivity rate of 0.43 per cent.
On June 13, the national capital had reported 255 COVID-19 cases and 23 deaths with a positivity rate of 0.35 per cent, as per the data provided by the Delhi Health Department.
Delhi, as per the Health Department, has over 900 active COVID-19 cases, out of which 79 cases are of the Omicron variant detected first in South Africa last month.
However, the Delhi government has urged people not to panic but noted that appropriate norms should be followed. Earlier this month, state Health Minister Satyendra Jain had said that the Delhi government was closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation here arising out of the Omicron variant of the virus, but he had ruled out the possibility of a lockdown in the national capital.
The city government already put in place a "graded response action plan", and it will be implemented accordingly, as and when the cases and positivity rate rise, he said.
According to the graded response system, when the positivity rate will reach 0.50 per cent i.e out of 1000 people tested, five are positive, then the first level of this system will be implemented, the Delhi health minister had said, and added, "our efforts should be such that we don't reach that stage of 0.5 per cent".