Lift Capital’s Covid curbs: Health dept to Delhi Disaster Management Authority

Delhi on Thursday added 739 Covid-19 infections at a test positivity rate of 1.48%, according to the government’s health bulletin. Delhi’s active Covid-19 case count is now 3,026

Citing the largely consistent dip in daily Covid-19 cases in the Capital for a week, the Delhi government’s health department has informed the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) that the Capital has reached the end of the Omicron variant-fuelled wave and recommend the removal of the remaining restrictions.

The Centre on Wednesday asked all states and Union territories to review and amend, or end additional Covid-19 restrictions in view of the decline in cases across the country. (Representative image/PTI)

Delhi on Thursday added 739 Covid-19 infections at a test positivity rate of 1.48%, according to the government’s health bulletin. Data also showed that five people succumbed to the disease in the last 24 hours. Delhi’s active Covid-19 case count is now 3,026. As of Thursday, only 2.40% Covid-19 beds in Delhi’s hospitals were occupied, leaving 97.6% vacant.

A senior official of the health department said, “Now that the Centre has also asked state governments to remove additional Covid-19 measures, there is a chance the remaining curbs will be removed. We have sent our recommendations to the DDMA and they will take the final call.”

The Centre on Wednesday asked all states and Union territories to review and amend, or end additional Covid-19 restrictions in view of the decline in cases across the country.

In a letter to states and Union territories, Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said on Wednesday, “The Covid-19 pandemic in India is showing a sustained declining trend since January 21, 2022. The number of average daily cases during last week was 50, 476; and 27,409 new cases have been reported in the last 24 hours. The daily case positivity on February 15 has declined to 3.63%.”

Meanwhile, Delhi government officials said that the Capital has been in favour of lifting the remaining curbs based on advice from health experts.

On January 27, DDMA lifted the weekend curfew and odd-even restrictions in marketplaces and also allowed cinemas, restaurants, and bars to reopen with a 50% cap on seating. On February 4, the authority allowed schools and colleges to reopen in a phased manner and also reduced the night curfew timings by an hour.

However, several restrictions are still in effect including the 11pm to 5am night curfew, a ban on standing passengers in public buses and on the Delhi Metro, among others.