Covid Lockdown In Delhi Extended For Another Week, CM Arvind Kejriwal Announces Decision

The Coronavirus lockdown has been extended for another week in the national capital. CM Arvind Kejriwal made the announcement through a tweet.

Photo: PTI

New Delhi: The Coronavirus lockdown has been extended for another week in the national capital. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal made the announcement through a tweet.

Previously, the lockdown was announced to end on May 3 i.e Monday at 5 AM.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal took to Twitter and wrote that "Lockdown in Delhi is being extended by one week".

While announcing the lockdown for the first time this year, Kejriwal had assured citizens that it will not be extended. However, looking at the escalating Covid crisis in the national capital, the restrictions will continue to be imposed.

Extending the lockdown on April 25, the CM had said that that lockdown was always the last option and the current situation demands the lockdown extension.

"Corona still continues to wreak havoc. Public opinion is also that lockdown should increase. So the lockdown is being extended for one week," he stated.

Besides the serious Covid-19 surge, Delhi is also facing the challenge of Oxygen supply shortage.

Reiterating the concerns of Oxygen supply shortage, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that there is a major issue.

"SOS is coming from all hospitals. We've spoken in courts and written to the Centre that Delhi requires 976 tons of oxygen daily but we've been allotted only 490 tons of oxygen. Yesterday we received only 312 tons. How will this work?" he was quoted as saying.

"I request the decision-makers with folded hands to provide oxygen to Delhi," the CM urged.

Addressing the concerns of shortage in Oxygen supply, the Delhi High Court told the central government that hospitals in the national capital must be given its 490 MT oxygen supply today "by whatever means".

"Water has gone above the head. You have to arrange everything now. You have made the allocations. You have to fulfil it. Eight lives have been lost. We can't shut our eyes to it," the high court said taking note of 8 deaths in Batra Hospital.

Besides this, the Delhi High Court also stated that hospitals should learn from their experiences regarding oxygen scarcity during the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic and set up plants for generating the critical supply.

"Oxygen plants are essential. It is irresponsible not to have them," the bench said.

Delhi on Friday recorded 375 deaths due to the coronavirus and 27,047 fresh cases with a positivity rate of 32.69 per cent, according to the bulletin issued by the city health department. This is the ninth day on the trot that Delhi has recorded over 300 coronavirus-related deaths.