Delhi allows markets to stay open beyond 8 pm as Covid cases decline

New Delhi, Aug 21: Amid steady decrease in coronavirus cases, Delhi government has decided to allow markets, shops to function beyond 8 pm starting Monday. Now the markets can open as per their normal time.

"Markets of Delhi were allowed to function till 8 pm due to Covid-19. In wake of decreasing cases, this restriction will be removed starting Monday. Now the markets can open as per their normal time," Delhi Chief Minister Aravind Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.

The Covid-19 cases have been falling in Delhi over the last few weeks and on Saturday. No death due to COVID-19 was recorded in Delhi on Saturday, the second consecutive day the daily fatality count stood nil, while 19 fresh cases were reported, the lowest since April 15 last year, according to data shared by the city health department.

This is the twelfth time since the starting of the second wave of the pandemic in the national capital that zero fatality has been logged in a day. On July 18, July 24, July 29, August 2, August 4, August 8, August 11, August 12, August 13, August 16 and August 20 too, no death due to COVID-19 was recorded, according to official data.

On March 2 this year, the national capital had reported zero death due to the virus. On that day, the number of single-day infections stood at 217 and the positivity rate was 0.33 per cent. The second wave swept the city during April-May period.