COVID-19: Delhi reviews lockdown order, allows vets, plumbers, electricians to start work

New Delhi, Apr 28: The Delhi government on Monday finally lifted the bar on veterinarians, plumbers and electricians after a complete review of the Covid-19 pandemic in the national capital. The government also allowed inter-state travel of health workers, lab technicians and scientists that had been prohibited in the city.

The relaxation comes into effect from Tuesday.

With 190 fresh cases reported in Delhi, the total number of coronavirus cases climbed to 3,108 in the city on Monday, but no fresh death was reported for the second successive day, according to Delhi government authorities.

The cases also include the private secretary of southwest Delhi District Magistrate Rahul Singh, prompting the IAS officer to go into self-quarantine, an official said.

Two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) volunteers engaged in food distribution at a Delhi government-run centres in Mehrauli also tested positive, following which several localities in the area have been declared as containment zones.

The number of containment zones in the national capital rose to 99 on Monday. After an increase in the number of patients recovered last week - more than 800 in a week - the day saw no fresh recovery of patients.

The officials said the Delhi government will follow the Centre's guidelines on whether to extend the lockdown beyond May 3 after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal attended a meeting held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Modi held a video conference with chief ministers during the day to discuss the situation arising out of the coronavirus outbreak and measures to deal with it. "We are preparing our submission, which will be sent to the Centre soon," a senior government official said here.

"The Centre's guidelines on the lockdown will be followed by the Delhi government," he added.

So far, 54 people have died of coronavirus in the city.