COVID-19: India's national capital Delhi imposes weekend curfew amid rising Omicron cases

New Delhi:  India's capital Delhi will impose a weekend curfew to try and curb the spread of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 as cases have risen in the past few days, its Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told a news conference on Tuesday.

“The DDMA [Delhi Disaster Management Authority] has decided to impose a curfew in Delhi on Saturdays and Sundays to curb COVID-19 surge. All government officials except for those engaged in essential services will work from home. 50 per cent workforce of private offices will work from home,” he said.

Buses and metro trains will, however, run at 100 per cent capacity to avoid crowding outside metro stations and at bus stops., but with strict COVID-19 safety rules like social distancing and wearing masks as these modes of transport can turn into super-spreaders.

“Buses and metro trains will again run at full seating capacity to avoid crowding outside metro stations and at bus stops,” he added.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 have been rapidly rising. “Delhi has reported around 11,000 positive cases in the past 8-10 days, of which around 350 patients are in hospital, only 124 patients need oxygen and 7 are on a ventilator,” he added.

Earlier, the DDMA held a meeting under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and reviewed the current COVID-19 situation and the increasing Omicron cases.

The authority last week ordered the closure of schools, colleges, cinemas and gyms with immediate effect and put various restrictions on the functioning of shops and public transport as a yellow alert was sounded under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

A night curfew from 10pm (earlier 11pm) to 5am is already in force in the national capital.

Chief minister, federal minister tested positive

Earlier today, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that he has been tested positive of COVID-19.

India’s federal Minister for Heavy Industries Mahendra Nath Pandey also said that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is admitted at Yashoda Superspeciality Hospital Kaushambi, Ghaziabad as a “precautionary measure”.

“I was unwell for the last 2 days due to which I got my corona tested and the COVID report came positive. It is requested to all those who have come in contact with me in the last few days, take care of yourself and get the investigation done as per the requirement,” said Pandey in a tweet (roughly translated from Hindi).

“I am undergoing complete treatment as a precautionary measure at Yashoda Superspeciality Hospital Kaushambi, Ghaziabad and now my health is stable. Many thanks for all your prayers,” he added.

The city reported 4,099 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours taking the positivity rate in the national capital to 6.46 per cent, Delhi’s health department bulletin informed on Monday.

The active cases in the city have gone to 10,986 and the cumulative tally of the COVID-19 cases now stands at 14,58,220.

In the last 24 hours, Delhi also witnessed one COVID-related death taking the death toll to 25,100.

AIIMS Delhi cancels winter vacation

Meanwhile, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, on Tuesday cancelled the remaining part of winter vacation from January 5 to January 10 and has asked the faculty members to join duty ‘with immediate effect’.

In a notice, AIIMS said: “In continuation of the office of memoranda...it is to inform that the Competent Authority has decided to cancel the remaining part of the winter vacation i.e. from 5th to 10th January, 2022 due to the ongoing COVID-19/Omicron Pandemic.”

“COVID-19: AIIMS, Delhi cancels remaining part of winter vacation from January 5 to January 10; asks faculty members to join duty ‘with immediate effect’,” the notice further read.