India Sees Decline in COVID-19 Spread, Shops Reopen and Subway Services Resume

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] India's daily COVID-19 cases on the 6th recorded about 114,000, the lowest number in the past two months.

As the surge in infections gradually subsides, the Indian government has started easing lockdown measures, including reopening shops in the capital New Delhi and major cities and resuming subway operations.

According to the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, as of the morning of that day, the daily new COVID-19 cases were 114,460, and the number of deaths was 2,677.

Accordingly, the cumulative confirmed cases reached 28,809,339, and the cumulative deaths totaled 346,759.

India's daily COVID-19 cases fell below 10,000 in early February but surged again from mid-February, peaking at 414,188 on May 7.

Since then, due to the effects of lockdown measures, the surge has slowed, with daily cases dropping to the 200,000 range on May 17 and to the 100,000 range on May 28.

Major cities such as the capital New Delhi are gradually easing lockdowns one by one due to concerns about 'economic collapse' if the lockdown continues.

New Delhi announced that starting this week, construction work and factory operations are allowed, and from the 7th, the subway 'Delhi Metro' will resume operations with a maximum passenger limit of 50%. Shops and department stores will be allowed to operate on an alternating day basis.

Pharmacies and essential goods stores will open daily, while other shops and department stores will be divided in half and operate on alternate days.

Government offices and private offices will also open with a maximum occupancy limit of 50%.

Maharashtra will ease lockdown measures differentially from the 7th based on the positivity rate and ICU occupancy rate.

Cities and districts in Maharashtra meeting the conditions of a positivity rate below 5% and ICU occupancy below 25% will have lockdown measures fully lifted, while other areas will have varying reopening hours and allowed occupancy depending on conditions.

Uttar Pradesh will allow shops and markets in areas excluding high infection zones to operate five days a week on weekdays from the 7th, but night and weekend curfews will continue to be enforced.