Delhi extends relaxations in COVID restrictions till 5 am of June 28

With daily COVID-19 cases continues to decline in the national capital, the Delhi government announced further relaxation of pandemic restrictions on Sunday. The Department of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has eased the ongoing restrictions by permitting bars, golf clubs, gardens, and public parks to reopen from Monday, June 21. DDMA has also allowed outdoor yoga activities.

Restaurants and bars have been permitted to stay open for a longer period of time with up to 50% of the seating capacity and allowed to stay open from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm, while bars can stay open from 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm. DDMA also mentioned that restaurant and bar owners would be responsible for strict adherence to COVID-19 safety measures and all official guidelines and norms.

However, not all COVID-19 related restrictions have been lifted. Cinemas, gyms, spas among others, will remain closed till 5:00 am on June 28.

COVID Situation In Delhi

The national capital recorded seven deaths due to COVID-19, the lowest since April 1, and 135 fresh cases of coronavirus infection on Saturday, as the positivity rate dipped to 0.18 percent, according to data shared by the health department here. These new fatalities have pushed the death toll in the city to 24,907.

This is also the first time the daily fatality count has slipped into single-digit since April 1 when the city had recorded nine deaths and 2,790 cases, the data stated. The national capital had on April 3 recorded 10 deaths due to COVID-19.

Despite fall in daily cases in the last several days, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal last Saturday had cautioned that the chances of the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic were quite real, while he asserted that his government was preparing on a "war-footing" to combat it. Delhi had been reeling under a brutal second wave of the pandemic that is sweeping the country, claiming a massive number of lives daily, with the recent oxygen supply shortage issue at various hospitals, adding to the woes.