‘Metro travel in Delhi should be regulated’: Home ministry after Covid-19 review meeting

The national capital on Sunday recorded 5,664 new cases of Covid-19 and 51 fatalities, as the positivity rate soared to 12.7 per cent, according to Delhi government’s health bulletin.

The ministry of home affairs (MHA) on Monday said that the surge in active cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in national capital Delhi is due to the festival season and the laxity shown by people in adhering to safe Covid behaviour.

People, flouting social distancing norms, visit a crowded Sadar Bazar market during the festive season in New Delhi on Monday. (PTI Photo)

“The recent surge in the number of active cases was attributed to the festival season, which has witnessed greater movement of people, accompanied by laxity in adhering to the basic principles of safe Covid behaviour,” the ministry said in a statement.

The home ministry further said that hospital bed situation is comfortable in Delhi with 57 per cent of 15,789 dedicated Covid-19 beds being vacant.

It also said that the government will focus on efforts like targeted RT-PCR testing in sensitive zones such as restaurants, markets and salons.

The statement came after a Covid-19 review meeting conducted by Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla with health ministry and other experts. Decreasing temperature and rising pollution was discussed as part of the strategy to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease.

It was emphasised in the meeting that Metro travel in Delhi should be carefully regulated, strictly in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that have been issued in this regard, the MHA said.

The national capital on Sunday recorded 5,664 new cases of Covid-19 and 51 fatalities, as the positivity rate soared to 12.7 per cent, according to Delhi government’s health bulletin.

So far, 392,370 people have contracted Covid-19 in Delhi, of whom 352,635 have recovered, the bulletin said.

With 44,623 total tests recorded on Sunday, the positivity rate shot up to 12.7 per cent - up from an average of 5.3% recorded for the week ending October 8. The positivity rate stood at 11.42 per cent on Saturday.