The Delhi government on Saturday issued new orders regarding indoor meetings amid the recent spate of Covid-19 cases in the national capital. The order followed previous government-imposed restrictions on celebrations and gatherings in public places and religious sites during the upcoming festivals of Holi, Navratri and Shab-e-Barat. The government has also issued new restrictions for people arriving at the airport, train stations and bus terminals.
Delhi registered 1,558 new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), the highest in more than three months, and 10 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to a bulletin issued by the health department this Saturday. The capital’s infection count rose to 655,834 and included 6,625 active cases and 638,212 recoveries and 10,997 deaths.
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Here is the list of restrictions imposed by the Delhi government amid increasing Covid-19 cases:
1. The government has limited meetings in open places for weddings to 200 and 100 in case of closed spaces. Additionally, only 50 people will be able to attend funerals. The restriction will remain in effect until April 30, according to an order issued by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA).
2. In an earlier order, celebrations and gatherings in public places and religious places in the capital are prohibited for Holi, Navaratri and Shab-e-Barat. “Meetings, congregations, and public celebrations during upcoming festivals such as Holi, Shab-e-Barat, Navratri, etc. are anticipated. They can pose a considerable threat of virus spread and can reverse the appreciable progress made in suppressing the chain of transmission of Covid-19 cases in Delhi. Considering this, it has been decided that public celebrations and all gatherings / congregations during upcoming festivals should not be allowed in public places, ”said the order signed by Chief Secretary Vijay Dev.
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3. However, private parties will be allowed inside private homes and gardens.
4. The DDMA has also said that people arriving at the airport, train stations and bus terminals will be randomly evaluated. “All district disaster management authorities will conduct random testing (RAT / RT-PCR) of passengers coming from states where Covid-19 cases are increasing, at all airports, train stations, interstate bus terminals (ISBT) and other stopping points (for private buses) at NCT Delhi, ”the order said.
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5. The government has also directed all district magistrates (DMs) to increase surveillance of super-spreader areas to ensure appropriate Covid behavior such as wearing masks and social distancing are followed. “There are several super broadcast areas such as weekly markets, cinemas, shopping centers, Metro services, religious places, etc. All DMs should greatly intensify their compliance efforts and awareness campaigns in these areas. Areas where serosurveillance is low should also be subjected to more intense efforts, ”the order said.
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