Hotels, gyms in Delhi, unlikely to open this week

Officials in the chief minister’s office said Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal is yet to return the file sent by revenue minister Kailash Gahlot on August 6, seeking approval to open hotels, gyms, weekly markets and yoga centres in the Capital.

Hotels, gyms and weekly markets in Delhi are unlikely to open this week, senior government officials said on Monday.

Delhi recorded 707 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, which is because of fewer tests (12,323) conducted on Sunday and its recovery rate crossed the 90% mark with 131,657 persons recovering of the total 146,134 cases recorded so far. (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

“If the number of daily fresh Covid-19 cases continues to be like it was last week, it is highly possible that gyms, hotels and yoga centres will not be allowed for now,” said an official in the health department on condition of anonymity.

The Delhi government declined to comment on the matter.

Officials in the chief minister’s office said Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal is yet to return the file sent by revenue minister Kailash Gahlot on August 6, seeking approval to open hotels, gyms, weekly markets and yoga centres in the Capital.

Delhi recorded 707 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, which is because of fewer tests (12,323) conducted on Sunday and its recovery rate crossed the 90% mark with 131,657 persons recovering of the total 146,134 cases recorded so far. Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted that only around 7% of the total Covid cases in Delhi are now active. “Slowly and steadily, the people of Delhi are defeating Corona,” he said.

Between August 1 and 7, Delhi witnessed an average of 1,028 fresh cases per day.

Delhi’s health minister Satyendar Jain on Sunday had said around 35% of beds in Covid hospitals in Delhi are currently occupied by patients from other states.

“Till last month, we observed that total bed occupancy in Covid hospitals in the city in terms of absolute numbers was dropping by around 100 per day on an average. But, for at least the last 10 days, the number has been more or less constant. When we studied the trends, it emerged that around 35% of patients who have occupied beds currently are outsiders. In fact, on Saturday, 224 Delhi residents were admitted in Covid hospitals, compared to 97 patients from other states,” said Jain, who himself recovered from Covid and joined the office last month.