New Delhi, May 16 (FN Representative) Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said the Delhi Government has decided to extend the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown for another week till next Monday, May 24. The restrictions, which include the suspension of Metro services, will now stay in place till May 24 morning. Mr Kejriwal, who visited GTB hospital to review the ongoing work and video calling facility for the COVID patients with their family members, said the number of Covid cases is decreasing in Delhi and recovery has increased but ‘we do not want to lose this gain, therefore, lockdown is extended’.
‘The lockdown that was imposed till tomorrow morning till 5 am, keeping that in mind, the recovery rate in Delhi was improving. The Coronavirus is also rapidly declining, but the gains we have made in the past few days, we don’t want to lose them. So we are going to extend the lockdown for another week. Rather than tomorrow, 5 am, the lockdown in Delhi is being extended till Monday, next week 24th May, 5 am,’ Mr Kejriwal said. He said in the past 24 hours, Delhi has reported around 6,500 fresh COVID-19 cases and the positivity rate has come down to 10 per cent from 11 per cent. ‘I hope in the next week, there will be greater recovery. As far as I can understand, Delhi is slowly coming back on track. The lockdown is to continue as it is, no concessions will be given,’ the Delhi Chief Minister said.
‘Regarding Covaxin and Covishield, we have written both to the Central Government and the two companies to provide us with the vaccine, but there is no indication of the vaccine being given to us,’ he said. ‘For the black fungus, the Delhi Government will take all the steps and all the precautions necessary regarding the same,’ Mr Kejriwal said. On May 9, the Delhi Chief Minister had announced the extension of COVID-19 lockdown for one more week till May 17, 0500 hrs, in a bid to stem the spread of the dreaded virus, adding that the lockdown will be stricter and the Delhi Metro services will be suspended from May 10. Notably, the National Capital is already under lockdown since April 19, 2200 hrs.