New Delhi:
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced extension of the ongoing lockdown in Delhi for another week, saying the severity of COVID-19 was unabated and positivity rate has been as high as 36 percent in the last few days.
The lockdown imposed on April 19 night will now continue till 5 AM on May 3, he said. It was scheduled to end at 5 AM on April 26 before extension.
Kejriwal in a press conference said, “During this lockdown we observed the positivity rate touched between 36-37%. This is a new statistic for Delhi. Perhaps this has happened somewhere in the world, but we had not observed this before. The positivity rate has reduced a bit in the last 2-3 days, with the rate coming to below 30% today (Sunday). This is not to say that the disease is ebbing, though that is the hope. It may increase or decrease in the coming days, but our efforts will always be directed towards controlling the spread of the virus.”
“Another issue Delhi faces is the shortage of oxygen. Our daily requirement of oxygen is 700 tonne, and we receive 480 tonne from the Central government. Yesterday, the Central government allotted 10 additional tonnes, increasing our share to 490 tonne of oxygen. However, even this allotment is not reaching Delhi….only 330-335 tonnes of oxygen reached Delhi. As a result, we are receiving only half of what we require, which is a huge impediment in the recovery of COVID-positive patients,” he asserted.
Kejriwal said, “Since our oxygen supply is limited, managing what we have is of utmost importance. Efficient management can help save lives. We have launched a portal where those involved in the supply of oxygen, from the manufacturer to the supplier and hospitals, have to give regular updates on their position, every two hours. The manufacturers will give updates on the status of the cylinders being produced, the supplier on where the trucks have reached, and hospitals on where their stock stands. This is to ensure that the Delhi government knows where shortage might be felt and is able to divert resources in that direction before time.”
“We have received constant support from the Central government and both — the Delhi government and the Central government — are working tirelessly to ensure a steady supply of oxygen. In my opinion, the coming days should see less confusion and chaos on this matter. We are constantly working to try new avenues of sourcing oxygen over and above what the Central government is supplying,” he added.
He also said that negotiation is on with some of the states regarding the supply of oxygen. “I will update you as and when we are able to secure any additional oxygen. This is an emergency situation and all of us are working together and hope we are able to successfully overcome this crisis,” he noted.
Delhi recorded the highest single-day rise in its COVID-19 deaths with 357 more people succumbing to the viral disease on Saturday as well as over 24,000 fresh cases.
The city has reported nearly 2,500 deaths due to the deadly virus in a 12-day period
Several hospitals in the national capital are grappling with severe shortage of medical oxygen.
