Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday clarified that there are no plans for another lockdown in the national capital to curb the spread of novel Coronavirus.
Earlier on Friday, Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain had also said that the lockdown will not be extended in the capital.
The clarification came in response to a huge buzz on social media that Delhi would go back into lockdown from June 15 till July 31 to check the spiraling COVID-19 cases.
The clarification also comes in the wake of the Aam Aadmi Party government informing that 5.5 lakh cases are expected in Delhi by July 31 based on the current doubling rate which is 12-13 days.
“Many people are speculating whether another lockdown in Delhi is being planned. There are no such plans,” Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said.
Delhi on Monday saw a spike of 2,224 cases and 56 deaths in last 24 hours taking the total number of infections to 41,182 and fatalities to 1,327.
Delhi has seen a spurt in Coronavirus cases and over 1,000 new cases daily for the past few days. It is currently the second worst-hit state in terms of cases after Maharashtra and third worst-hit in terms of fatalities after Gujarat.
Meanwhile, the clarification on lockdown comes shortly after Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired an all-party meeting at the Ministry of Home Affairs over the management of Coronavirus situation in Delhi.
At the meeting, Shah said that by June 20, Delhi government will start conducting 18,000 COVID-19 tests per day.
Further, the Home Minister assured that everyone will have the right to testing. Amit Shah’s has also reportedly approved BJP’s demand to waive 50 per cent charges on testing.
Meanwhile, the Congress has hit out at Kejriwal accusing the CM of “misleading people and holding private hospitals responsible” for the dire situation in the capital.
On Sunday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held two high-level meetings on management of the worrying Coronavirus situation in Delhi.
The first meeting was attended by Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and top officials of the Union Home and Health Ministries, while the second was with with mayors and commissioners of Delhi’s three municipal corporations.
The meetings come after the apex court’s unambiguous rap, calling the handling of the situation “horrendous, horrific, and pathetic”.