Lockdown in Delhi extended by another week: CM Kejriwal

New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced the extension of the ongoing lockdown in Delhi for another week, saying the severity of COVID-19 was unabated and the positivity rate has been as high as 36 per cent in the last few days.

The lockdown imposed on April 19 night will now continue till 5 AM on May 3, he said. It was scheduled to end at 5 AM on April 26, before the extension was announced.

“We will have to watch the situation for a few more days whether the cases decrease or increase,” he said.

The chief minister said that the onslaught of coronavirus has not subsided even after the government imposed a lockdown as the last weapon in its arsenal.

“Everybody voted for the extension of the lockdown. The positivity rate reached up to 36-37 per cent in the past few days although it has slightly dipped now. It is around 29 per cent today,” he said.

To keep watch on oxygen availability, the Delhi government has decided that the manufacturers, suppliers and hospitals will update supply and consumption data every two hours on a portal set up by it.

Also read: Delhi announces total lockdown for a week, CM says don’t leave city

He said that the Centre has further increased Delhi’s oxygen quota by 10 tonnes per day and hoped that the chaotic situation due to the oxygen crisis in Delhi will end in a few days.

“The Centre has increased Delhi’s quota from 480 tonnes to 490 tonnes per day. But, we are yet to receive the full quota. Currently, only 330-335 tonnes per day supply is being received by us,” he said.

The chief minister said that his government is receiving much support from the Centre and both are properly coordinating to solve the oxygen supply problem.

Delhi recorded the highest single-day rise in its COVID-19 deaths with 357 more people succumbing to the viral disease on Saturday as well as over 24,000 fresh cases.

The city has reported nearly 2,500 deaths due to the deadly virus in a 12-day period.

Several hospitals in the national capital are grappling with a severe shortage of medical oxygen.