Since the COVID-19 situation continues to be grim in Delhi, the Aam Adami Party government has decided to extend the ongoing lockdown in the national capital by one more week.
"Lockdown in Delhi is being extended by one week," Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Twitter on Saturday.
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), in its order on the extension of the lockdown, stated that a review of the pandemic situation showed that the numbers of positive cases, positivity rate as well as bed occupancy (oxygen-supported or ICU beds) in the dedicated COVID-19 hospitals are very high.
"...therefore, in order to contain the spread of the virus and break the transmission chain, the curfew needs to be extended for another week in the territory of NCT of Delhi (except for essential activities and services)," it said.
The lockdown which came into force on April 19 was first extended by seven days on April 25 and was due to end at 5 am on May 3.
This morning, the city recorded 375 deaths due to COVID-19 and 27,047 fresh cases with a positivity rate of 32.69 per cent. It was the ninth consecutive day of Delhi recording 300 coronavirus-related deaths.
Delhi had reported 395 deaths, the highest since the pandemic began a year ago, on Thursday; 368 deaths on Wednesday; 381 on Tuesday; 380 on Monday; 350 on Sunday; 357 deaths on Saturday, and 348 on Friday, according to government data.
Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court on Saturday directed the Centre to supply 490 metric tonnes of allocated oxygen to Delhi during the day itself or face contempt action, taking note of eight deaths at Batra Hospital in the city due to lack of oxygen supply.
(With PTI inputs)