The Delhi government on Friday decided to gradually “unlock” the city, allowing construction activity and factories to start from Monday, even as Maharashtra extended the lockdown for 15 days, saying relaxations could be made in districts with low positivity rates.
Delhi’s decision came after a consistent decrease in the number of cases and infection rate.
Delhi reported around 1,100 cases in the last 24 hours and an infection rate of 1.5 per cent. The capital saw over 20,000 cases for more than two weeks from mid-April to early May, reaching a peak of more than 27,000 cases on April 30, according to Covid19India data. “It is the hard work of the 20 million people of Delhi that within one month we have been able to control the second wave… There is no longer any problem in getting beds in hospitals and even the ICU beds are empty, oxygen beds have also been emptied. This is the time to slowly unlock,” CM Arvind Kejriwal said.
Calling for maintaining a balance between controlling Covid and allowing as much economic activity as possible, he said: “The people who are saved from coronavirus should not struggle due to hunger.” The CM said the unlock procedure will be extended every week, based on public suggestions and expert opinion. But, if cases rise, the government will halt the unlock procedure, he warned, urging the people not to step out of their homes unnecessarily.
In Maharashtra, Health Minister Rajesh Tope said: “In districts which are seeing a rise in cases or where finding hospital beds is a challenge, there will be no relaxation.” Tope indicated there could be relaxation in rules for districts with low caseloads. A fresh order will be issued on June 1. In one such relaxation, stores selling essential goods in Pune will now remain open.
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