Delhi extends lockdown by another week

Delhi has been under lockdown since April 19 in view of a surge in COVID-19 cases in the second wave of the pandemic. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said if the decline in cases continues, the lockdown will be eased by end of May.

New Delhi:Lockdown in the national capital has been extended by one more week, announced Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday, adding that if the trend of decline in new COVID-19 continues, the process of unlock will begin from May 31.

Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said the positivity rate dropped to 2.5 percent as only 1,600 fresh coronavirus infections were reported in the last 24 hours.

Read:Lockdown in Delhi extended till May 24

"The positivity rate has come to 2.5 percent in Delhi. 1,600 new COVID-19 cases reported in Delhi in the last 24 hours... Lockdown has been extended till 31st May, 5 am in Delhi," he said.

"If cases continue to decline in the coming week, we shall start the process of unlock from May 31. We will not open up all things at one go but will open up activities in a phased manner," he added.

The national capital has been under a lockdown since April 19 in view of a surge in COVID-19 cases in the second wave of the pandemic.

Read:Lockdown-like restrictions in West Bengal from Sunday

According to Delhi Health Bulletin issued on Saturday, Delhi reported 2,260 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, which is the lowest number of new cases since March 31 this year.

Kejriwal wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday stating that Delhi requires 80 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses per month to vaccinate the people of the national capital in three months.

ANI