Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Sunday the extension of the ongoing lockdown in the national capital for another week, saying the severity of COVID 19 was unabated and the positivity rate has been as high as 36 percent in the last few days. The lockdown imposed on April 19 night will now continue till 5 AM on May 3, he said.
"We will have to watch the situation for a few more days, whether the cases decrease or increase," he said.
Hospitals in Delhi have been battling a rise in cases and a severe oxygen shortage. According to reports, 20 patients have died on two different occasions in two hospitals due to low pressure in oxygen.
The Delhi BJP had also asked for the lockdown to be extended. Delhi BJP Spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said: "Most trade association officebearers feel that extension of curfew or lockdown beyond the morning of April 26 is very important in public health interest." He pointed that many wholesale trade associations based in Old Delhi are voluntarily extending market closure but scattered markets in the city need government guideline or intervention.
On April 19, in an attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the national capital, the Delhi Government announced a weeklong lockdown from 10 pm to 5 am.
Announcing the lockdown, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that in the duration of lockdown, all essential services with regard to food, medicine, etc would continue. “We have decided to impose a weeklong lockdown in Delhi starting from 10 p.m. tonight till next Monday 5 a.m. to curb the spread of Coronavirus."