COVID-19: Complete lockdown in Delhi from April 19 midnight till April 26 morning

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal made the announcement in a press briefing, a day after the national capital witnessed its biggest surge in the daily COVID-19 caseload.

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday (April 19, 2021) took a big decision to break the transmission of coronavirus in the national capital. CM Kejriwal announced that Delhi will be put under complete lockdown from the night of April 19 till April 26 morning.

The AAP made the announcement in a press briefing, a day after Delhi witnessed its biggest surge in the daily COVID-19 caseload with 25,462 fresh cases. 

दिल्ली में तेज़ी से बढ़ते कोरोना मामलों के मद्देनज़र एक महत्वपूर्ण घोषणा | Press Conference | LIVE https://t.co/zAECIEcZ53 — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 19, 2021

He said that the lockdown will be placed from 10 pm on Monday till 5 am on April 26.

"Essential services, food services, medical services will continue. Weddings can be held with a gathering of only 50 people, passes will be issued separately for it. A detailed order will be issued shortly," said the Delhi CM.

Kejriwal told the citizens of Delhi that his government has been honest from day one and informed about the deteriorating COVID-19 situation in the hospitals in the national capital. Kejriwal reiterated that there is a huge shortage of ICU beds in the hospitals.

"Delhi's health system has reached a limit," he said.

"We have received the full support of the Delhi people and two crore residents are an extended family, we will fight against this pandemic together," he expressed.

Kejriwal took this decision after a meeting with Delhi L-G Anil Bajai.

Earlier on Sunday,  he had stated that Delhi is facing an acute shortage of oxygen and needs much more than the normal supply. He alleged that the Centre, rather than increasing the supply, is diverting Delhi's quota to other states. 

"OXYGEN HAS BECOME AN EMERGENCY IN DEL," Kejriwal had tweeted.

Del facing acute shortage of oxygen. In view of sharply increasing cases, Del needs much more than normal supply. Rather than increasing supply, our normal supply has been sharply reduced and Delhi’s quota has been diverted to other states.

OXYGEN HAS BECOME AN EMERGENCY IN DEL — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 18, 2021

This is to be noted that a night curfew followed by a weekend curfew was also put in the national capital to check the spread of COVID-19.  

(This is a developing story)