Over 25,000 New Cases in New Delhi in One Day... Shortage of Beds, Medicines, and Oxygen
[Asia Economy Reporter Yuri Kim] India's capital, New Delhi, has issued a six-day lockdown starting from the 19th due to concerns over the collapse of the healthcare system amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.
According to foreign media including The Times of India, Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Minister of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, stated, "The lockdown will be enforced from 10 PM on the 19th until 5 AM next Monday (26th). If we do not lock down now, we will face even greater disaster."
India's COVID-19 cases increased by 273,810 in the last 24 hours. During the same period, New Delhi alone reported over 25,000 new cases.
Chief Minister Kejriwal said, "There is a severe shortage of hospital beds, medical oxygen, and key medicines such as Remdesivir," and urged citizens to comply with the lockdown and migrant workers from other cities not to leave New Delhi. He added, "The healthcare system has not collapsed yet but has reached its limit," emphasizing, "Definite measures are necessary to prevent system collapse."
During the lockdown, all companies, shops, shopping centers, markets, educational institutions, theaters, restaurants, entertainment facilities, amusement parks, parks, and sports facilities in New Delhi will be closed. All social, political, sports, and religious activities are also prohibited.
India's daily new cases had dropped to around 8,000 in February this year after reaching about 97,000 on September 17 last year, but surged to around 270,000 due to the spread of the highly transmissible "double mutant virus (B1617)".
As of this date, India's total cumulative confirmed cases stand at 15,061,919, with 178,769 deaths.
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