The Delhi Government has imposed a complete curfew in the National Capital from Monday night (April 19) till next Monday morning (April 26), in the wake of alarming numbers of Covid-19 infections. As per some media reports, all private offices will be shut and only government offices and essential services will be operational.
In a live broadcast today on April 19, the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal claimed that Delhi is conducting the maximum number of tests with one lakh tests every day. “We have never hidden the death rate or situation of ICU beds and other facilities in the city. Today, we have recorded around 23,500 cases. ICU beds are almost over.”
He claimed that this is Delhi’s fourth wave and the health system is under a lot of pressure but has not collapsed yet. “We think it is important to impose a lockdown. From today 10 P.M till next Monday 5 A.M a lockdown has been imposed. All essential services will be allowed. Marriage ceremonies will be allowed with 50 guests only. A detailed order will be issued soon. It is not an easy decision”, CM Kejriwal said.
Delhi had reportedly recorded its highest spike in a day with 25,462 cases on April 18. Voicing his concern about the shortage in supply of oxygen in the National Capital, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has claimed that Delhi is heading towards an emergency with respect to availability of oxygen.
He tweeted, “Del (Delhi) facing acute shortage of oxygen. In view of sharply increasing cases, Del needs much more than normal supply. Rather than increasing supply, our normal supply has been sharply reduced and Delhi’s quota has been diverted to other states. OXYGEN HAS BECOME AN EMERGENCY IN DEL.”
Del facing acute shortage of oxygen. In view of sharply increasing cases, Del needs much more than normal supply. Rather than increasing supply, our normal supply has been sharply reduced and Delhi’s quota has been diverted to other states.
OXYGEN HAS BECOME AN EMERGENCY IN DEL
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 18, 2021
In a video addressing the residents of Delhi on April 18, the Chief Minister said that the capital was facing a “serious situation” amid shortages of crucial drugs, oxygen supply and ICU beds. He said that another matter of concern was the positivity rate that has gone up to 30 percent from 24.56 percent in the last 24 hours.
He said, “Cases are increasingly rising. Beds reserved for Covid patients are decreasing. There is a shortage of ICU beds, we have less than 100 beds. There is a lack of oxygen supply. We are in contact with the Central Government and they are helping us. There were 10,000 beds in Central government hospitals in the city out of which the Delhi government has requested that at least 7,000 of these be reserved for coronavirus patients from the current 1,800 beds.”
According to an Indian Express report, the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Covid Hospital constructed by the Defence R&D Organisation (DRDO) near Dhaula Kuan is all set to reopen for Covid patients with 250 ICU-ventilator beds. The temporary facility had come up last year when Delhi was recording around 2,500 cases a day. The four hangars were made of prefabricated material and had 1,000 beds, of which 250 were ICU beds, that were arranged in 12 days.
The increasing rate of infection has also impacted the functioning of courts in the city with Delhi District courts coming up with a decision to hear only ‘urgent matters’. The order issues by the Registrar General states that, “In view of the alarming rise in the Covid-19 cases in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, in continuation of this Court’s Office Order No.256/RG/DHC/2021 dated 08.04.2021, it is ordered that all the judicial officers of the District Courts in Delhi shall take up only urgent cases of their respective Courts, through videoconferencing mode. It is further ordered that all other matters listed before Delhi District Courts be adjourned en bloc by respective courts and information in this regard be uploaded on the website(s) of Delhi District Courts.”
The order may be read here:
Related:
BJP has no authority to hoard Remdesivir during shortage: AAP
State is heading towards a health emergency: Jharkhand HC
Gujarat HC directs State to be honest about Covid data
Bombay HC takes suo motu cognisance of Covid surge in prisons