Delhi plans curbs as infections rise
As India's capital battles its worst phase in the coronavirus pandemic, authorities drew up plans yesterday to reinstate some curbs, such as lockdowns of some markets, if necessary, although elsewhere in the nation new infections are falling.
Meanwhile, global cases topped 55 million as US and Europe reeled from surging infection ahead of what experts a "difficult winter".
The novel coronavirus has killed at least 1,328,048 people since the outbreak emerged in China last December, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP at 11:00 GMT yesterday. At least 55,022,350 cases have been registered.
On Monday, 7,810 new deaths and 529,892 new cases were recorded worldwide. Based on latest reports, the countries with the most new deaths were United States with 1,008, followed by France with 506 and Italy with 504.
The United States is the worst-affected country with 247,229 deaths from 11,206,054 cases. After the US, the hardest-hit countries are Brazil with 166,014 deaths from 5,876,464 cases, India with 130,519 deaths from 8,874,290 cases, Mexico with 98,861 deaths from 1,009,396 cases, and the United Kingdom with 52,147 deaths from 1,390,681 cases.
India added 29,163 cases over the past 24 hours for its lowest such increase since at least mid-July, government data showed.
Both infections and deaths in India have fallen from a mid-September high but the situation is different in Delhi, a city of 20 million swathed in air pollution, where crowds thronged markets for last week's Hindu festival of Diwali.
With his palms joined together during a live broadcast on Twitter, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal pleaded for people to wear masks and maintain social distancing.
"If...we see that social distancing and mask-wearing is not being followed in any bazaar and there's a possibility of those areas becoming a hotspot, we should be allowed to close them down for a few days," he added.
Kejriwal said he had written to federal authorities for permission to impose the curbs.
Since the middle of May, the capital has gradually opened markets and public transport shut during the early phase of the pandemic.
Delhi, which recorded its highest infections and deaths last week, reported on Monday a fall in new infections to 3,797, but federal authorities have warned it to be ready for as many as 15,000 cases a day.
As a popular time of year for weddings nears, Kejriwal's government has also asked federal officials for a further cut in the number of guests at such celebrations, to 50 from 200.
The Delhi government's online tracker showed just 116 beds available, from a total of 1,327 in intensive care units equipped with a ventilator. Federal officials have promised to make hundreds more available soon.
Delhi's air has high levels of tiny pollutants of the size known as PM 2.5, which doctors say can enter the nose to weaken the inner lining of the lungs and help the coronavirus spread.
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