New Delhi: Shops allowed to open past 8pm as capital records lowest Covid cases
Coronavirus in Delhi
India’s capital city New Delhi has reported the lowest number of new Covid infections on Saturday, bringing in a welcome change.
Delhi reported a record low of 19 new Covid infections and zero coronavirus-related deaths on Saturday, with a positivity rate of 0.03 per cent.
This has taken the active Covid cases toll to 430, which is one of the lowest the city has recorded since the pandemic began in December 2019.
As the city recorded lowest Covid cases, the capital city’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that all shops will now be allowed to open past 8 pm, including the ones in shopping malls and complexes.
"Till now, markets in Delhi had permission to stay open till 8 pm. As the number of Covid cases have dropped, this restriction is being lifted," Kejriwal said.
His announcement has been welcomed by shop owners and locals as it comes a day before one of the biggest festivals in India. Lifting of this restriction will also help the shop owners earn back their daily wage in the upcoming festival season.
Kejriwal had imposed these restrictions to bring Covid infections under control and break the chain of new cases as the city suffered in one of the worst ways during India’s second wave, which was mainly caused by the Delta variant.