Fewer Covid-19 penalties as Delhi caseload remains low

Delhi on Thursday logged 41 new cases and a positivity rate of 0.06%. The city added no deaths of the infection on Thursday, according to state data.

Penalties for violations of Covid-19 appropriate behaviour in Delhi fell to a six-month low last month, showed records from district administrations, as the infection’s caseload continued to remain at record lows in the national capital.

According to the state government’s daily health bulletin, 307 people in the city are battling the infection, down from a record high of nearly 100,000 on April 28. (AFP)

Data seen by HT showed that 93,583 challans were issued and 2,078 FIRs registered between November 1 and 25 for violations of Covid-19 appropriate behaviour such as masking and distancing. In comparison, the Delhi saw 127,862 challans and 5,884 FIRs in October, and 169,370 challans and 5,849 FIRs in September. The last time prosecutions were this low was in May when 85,175 challans were issued and 1,803 FIRs filed.

A senior Delhi government official on Thursday said that directions are now being issued to all concerned officers to ramp up enforcement once again.

To be sure, the Covid-19 caseload in the national capital has been at record lows for several months now, ever since the fourth wave ebbed in May. Delhi on Thursday logged 41 new cases on Thursday and a positivity rate of 0.06%. The city added no deaths of the infection on Thursday, according to state data.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a positivity rate of 5% for an outbreak to be considered under control.

According to the state government’s daily health bulletin, 307 people in the city are battling the infection, down from a record high of nearly 100,000 on April 28.

The administrations have 156 enforcement teams with 129 enforcement vehicles at present.

On November 19 last year, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) increased fines for not wearing a mask in public places or at workplaces from ₹500 to ₹2,000.

The country has been on alert since the WHO labelled Omicron variant of the coronavirus a variant of concern last Friday.

Two men in Karnataka have tested positive for the Omicron variant, the union health ministry said on Thursday.

DDMA, from time to time, has been issuing directions, instructing all district magistrates, district DCPs, deputy commissioners of municipal corporations, and other authorities to ensure strict enforcement of Covid-19 appropriate behaviour across public spaces and infection hot spots.