Coronavirus lockdown: Delhi sealed the borders, Chief Minister Kejriwal said today
New Delhi:
Delhi sealed its borders for a week amid a disturbing increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Monday, adding that only people providing essential services and holding electronic passports approved by the government will be allowed to cross.
Kejriwal said the borders were temporarily closed to allow hospitals and medical facilities in the city to contain the increase in coronavirus cases.
“When we open the borders, people from all over the country will come to Delhi for treatment. The hospitals in Delhi should be reserved for the people of Delhi,” said Kejriwal in his brief speech to the city, adding: “At the same time, Delhi belongs to the country, how can it refuse to treat anyone?”
To date, the national capital has nearly 20,000 new confirmed cases of coronavirus, with 473 deaths linked to the virus. City authorities on Sunday evening reported that more than 1,000 new infections had been detected in the previous 24 hours; it was the fourth consecutive time that the number of new cases had crossed the 1,000 mark in 24 hours.
According to the chief minister, Delhi has 9,500 beds for COVID-19 patients, compared to 4,500 then 6,600 while the city-state is expanding its health and hospital infrastructure to contain and stifle the virus epidemic.
“I can guarantee, as chief minister, that there will be a bed if you or someone in your family is infected,” said Kejriwal.
The order to close the borders comes hours after Haryana opened the borders between Delhi and Gurgaon in accordance with revised locking guidelines issued by the center on Saturday, which stipulated that non-essential interstate movement of vehicles and people would now be allowed.
Noida of Uttar Pradesh, which also shares a border with Delhi, sealed all roads in April to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Noida district administration confirmed on Sunday that the border will remain closed until further notice.
