NEW DELHI: India’s capital of 20 million people began a week-long lockdown on Monday as the country adopted more drastic measures to control the coronavirus outbreak.
“Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Delhi will be under lockdown until March 31,” Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said.
India has reported nearly 400 confirmed cases of the coronavirus so far but doctors interviewed by local media believe the situation may get serious over the coming days as tests are carried out on a larger scale.
The fears of community spread have prompted federal and state authorities to announce suspension of transport services and closure of markets, schools, cinemas and other public places.
The Indian capital recorded 27 cases until Sunday, with six of them getting infected through local transmission.
The city’s lockdown, which includes the sealing of its borders, is necessary to contain the coronavirus threat, Kejriwal said.
Only a quarter of the city’s public buses will operate to move people involved in services such as health, food, water and power supply.
All international flights to Delhi have been suspended.
Many states, including Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Telangana, Bihar and Uttarakhand, have announced total or partial lockdowns.
All metro rail services and passenger train services have been suspended till March 31.
The measures have disrupted local and interstate transport services across the nation of 1.3 billion people.
Of India’s about 700 districts, 75 are being placed under the lockdown.
“State governments will issue orders allowing only essential services to operate in districts with confirmed Covid-19 cases. The focus should be on closure of all activities except essential services such as hospitals, telecom, medicine shops, provision stores etc.,” the Indian Health Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
“These measures are temporary but extremely vital to break the chain of transmission,” it said. – Bernama
