The national capital is witnessing a gradual increase in the daily numbers (File)
Night curfew will be imposed in Delhi from 10 pm to 5 am, the city government said today as the national capital has reported 290 fresh cases of Covid – a 16% jump from yesterday – and a related death in 24 hours .
According to the official health bulletin, the case positivity rate has risen to 0.5% – a significant level.
If the daily cases continue to rise, a yellow alert will be issued in the national capital. Under the Delhi government’s four-stage Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), if the positivity rate remains stable at 0.5% for two consecutive days, a yellow alert will be triggered, leading to several additional restrictions. The GRAP was approved by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority in July in anticipation of the third wave of COVID-19 and aims to impose and remove restrictions depending on the situation.
Most activities that were resumed in a phased manner as the second wave subsided would come to a grinding halt if the alert sounded. Shops and malls selling non-essential goods and services will remain suspended during their operation. Under the odd-even rule, they will be allowed to open from 10 am to 8 pm.
Restaurants in the city will be allowed to operate at 50% capacity from 8 am to 10 pm, while bars have been allowed to remain open at 50% capacity from 12 pm to 10 pm.
Cinema halls and multiplexes that were currently open to visitors will be closed. And so will banquet halls and auditoriums. However, hotels will be allowed to remain open.
Spas, gyms, yoga institutes and amusement parks will remain closed. Sports complexes, stadiums and swimming pools will remain closed. But there will be no restriction on holding national or international sporting events in these places. Public parks will remain open.
The yellow alert will not come in the way of salons and beauty parlors that will be allowed to operate in the city.
Delhi Metro will run at 50% seating capacity and no passenger will be allowed to stand inside. Interstate buses will run on 50% seating and only two passengers will be allowed in autos, e-rickshaws, taxis and cycle rickshaws.
Only 20 people will be allowed in weddings and funerals and restrictions on social, political, religious, festival and entertainment related activities will continue. Religious places will remain open but entry of devotees will be restricted.
Yellow Alert will also shut down schools, colleges, educational institutions and coaching institutes. Private offices will be allowed to function at 50% capacity from 9 am to 5 pm.
Delhi has reported 14,43,352 cases of coronavirus so far with 25,105 related deaths. The number of active cases is 1,103, of which 583 patients are in home isolation.
The national capital is witnessing a gradual rise in the daily numbers amid the threat of an Omicron variant, which has raised alarm globally.
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