The Delhi government has extended the ongoing lockdown by another week, announced Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on May 23.
The lockdown has been extended despite an improvement in the COVID-19 situation in the national capital with less number of cases and declining positivity rate in the past few days.
"I consulted many people and the general opinion favoured lockdown extension for one week. So, Delhi government has decided that lockdown will be extended to 5 am on May 31," he said. Kejriwal said the lockdown was required so that the gains made after much struggle are not lost.
If COVID-19 cases continue to decrease, the government will begin to unlock Delhi in a phased manner from May 31, said the chief minister.
Kejriwal had first imposed a lockdown on April 19 which was later extended multiple times, most recently on May 16.
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He said he was in talks with vaccine manufacturers to ensure that the vaccine was available in Delhi, and asserted his government was ready to spend any amount for it.
Delhi recorded 2,260 fresh coronavirus cases, the lowest since March 1, and 182 fatalities on May 22 with the positivity rate slipping to 3.58 percent, even as Kejriwal cautioned that falling numbers did not mean the dangers have been stalled.
According to the latest health bulletin issued by the health department in Delhi, the number of deaths recorded in the city has also dipped to less the 200 for the first time since April 18.
(With inputs from PTI)
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