No gathering on New Year as Delhi imposes night curfew amid Covid-19 fear

Brace for subdued New Year celebrations this year as the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has imposed a night curfew in the national capital to stop the spread of coronavirus. As per the order, not more than five persons will be allowed to assemble at a public place, and no New Year celebration events can take place. "No gatherings at public places permitted from 11 pm of December 31 to 6 am of January 1 and 11 pm of January 1 to 6 am of January 2," a DDMA order said.

A detailed assessment of the situation in Delhi has been made, the DDMA order said. "Considering the threat posed by the mutant UK strain of Covid-19 virus and after overseeing the local incidents of Covid-19 pandemic in GNCT, Delhi, it is apprehended that gatherings, congregations and public celebrations of New Year pose a considerable threat of the spread of the virus," it said.

It "may cause a setback to the appreciable gains" made in the suppression of chain of transmission of Covid-19 cases in Delhi, the order added. There will no restrictions on the interstate and intrastate movement of persons and goods during the curfew period.

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"All district magistrates of Delhi and their counterpart district deputy commissioners of police and all authorities concerned shall ensure strict compliance of this order and shall adequately inform and sensitize the field functionaries about these instructions for strict compliance in letter and spirit," the DDMA letter said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday had said the national capital was prepared to deal with the new mutant strain of the novel coronavirus.

"Delhi has witnessed three waves of coronavirus and the third wave was an intense one when cases went up to 8,500 (fresh cases reported daily) but we managed to control it. We are fully prepared to deal with it," he told reporters in response to a question on preparedness for the new strain of COVID-19 that first emerged in the UK a few days ago.

As per the health ministry data, Delhi has total 6,122 active cases and 6,07,494 have been cured or discharged. The national capital has so far recorded 10,502 deaths.

Also read: Delhi overcame third COVID-19 wave; conducting more daily tests than US: Arvind Kejriwal

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