The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Tuesday, in a revised order, directed that all private offices in the national capital would function through the work-from-home (WFH) system and restaurants and bars would remain shut till further orders to contain the spread of Covid-19.

Through an earlier order, private offices were allowed to function with 50 percent of their staff strength working off-line and the rest through the work-from-home mode. Government offices are functioning with 50 percent physical attendance

Among the offices that remain exempted include those providing essential services, private banks, insurance companies, mediclaim firms and pharmaceutical firms, microfinance companies, courier services and lawyers’ offices.

The latest DDMA order, coming into effect immediately, said, “restaurants will be allowed only home delivery and takeaway of food items.” Those found violating the order will face strict action.

The order follows the Covid-19 positivity rate in the city shooting up to 25 per cent on Monday, highest since May 6, 2021, when this figure was 26.3 per cent. The city lost 17 lives for two days consecutively, on Sunday and Monday, due to the coronavirus.

The DDMA took note of the fast spike in the daily number of fresh Covid-19 cases, driven by the emergence of the Omicron variant. Its order said, “Therefore, it has been felt necessary that some more additional restrictions are required to be imposed in Delhi…”

The new curbs are in accordance with the new approach of the authorities to avoid the imposition of a lockdown by introducing additional curbs to contain the spread of the virus in Delhi.

Meanwhile, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain told a TV channel that the peak in Covid-19 cases in the city had “already arrived ”  or would come “in one or two days, but definitely this week.” Such infections will start coming down thereafter, he pointed out.

The national capital recorded 19,166 coronavirus infection cases on Monday and 22,751 on Sunday

The minister also warned that the government might impose a curfew again with a view to ensuring that people did not get relaxed and lowered their guard.

According to the data released by the government, every fourth person getting tested in the city is found Covid-19-positive at this stage.