NEW DELHI: Amid a rise in coronavirus cases and the threat of the Omicron variant, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Wednesday directed district magistrates to ensure no Christmas and New Year gathering takes place in the national capital.
However, restaurants and bars will continue to operate with up to 50 per cent of the seating capacity.
Marriage-related gatherings are permitted with a maximum of 200 people in attendance.
The DDMA directed the district magistrates (DMs) to identify potential COVID-19 superspreader areas ahead of Christmas and New Year.
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The district magistrates and deputy commissioners of police (DCPs) have also been directed to tighten the enforcement machinery to ensure that people follow social-distancing norms and wear masks.
"All social/political/cultural/religious/festival related gatherings are prohibited throughout NCT of Delhi. All district magistrates and DCPs shall ensure that no cultural event/gatherings/congregation takes place for celebrating Christmas or New Year in the NCT of Delhi," the DDMA order stated.
The district magistrates and deputy commissioners of police (DCPs) have also been directed to tighten the enforcement machinery to ensure people follow social-distancing norms and wear masks.
"All district magistrates shall conduct an intensive survey of the entire area falling under their jurisdiction and identify those pockets, colonies markets and crowded places which have the potential of becoming superspreaders of coronavirus and its Omicron variant," the DDMA said in the order.
It said concerted action shall be taken in identified pockets according to the prescribed protocol which includes test, track and treatment, prompt and effective containment measures and enforcement of Covid-appropriate behaviour.
It stated all DMs and DCPs shall deploy a sufficient number of enforcement teams on the field for keeping utmost vigil at public places to enforce strict adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour to avoid any possible surge in COVID-19 cases.
Taking note of incidents of violations, DDMA said that since restrictions are not being strictly complied with, all DMs and DCPs will conduct surprise checks and take strict penal action against defaulters.
It stated that all DMs and DCPs shall deploy a sufficient number of enforcement teams on the field for keeping utmost vigil at public places to enforce strict adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour to avoid any possible surge in COVID-19 cases.
As many as 213 cases of Omicron have been detected across India so far, with Delhi recording 57 cases, the highest among all states and UTs, followed by Maharashtra (54), Telangana (24), Karnataka (19), Rajasthan (18), Kerala (15) and Gujarat (14).
In Uttar Pradesh, the government on Tuesday imposed a fresh ban. The Lucknow Commissioner of Police DK Thakur said police officials have been directed to strictly follow the protocols and penalise the violators.
He added that check posts and barricades will be set up on roads, especially near bars and clubs to check people who may be driving in an inebriated state.
Giving more details, the Divisional Commissioner Ranjan Kumar said, the red zones have been marked to ensure all the guidelines are followed. “The situation is being monitored round the clock to ensure Covid appropriate behaviour on important days like Christmas and New Year eve,” he added.
Similarly, in Karnataka, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the government has banned mass gatherings in the state and also restricted New Year celebrations in hotels, pubs as the number of Covid-19 cases are steadily increasing.
However, all the restaurants, pubs and hotels will be allowed to operate at 50 per cent strength.
The ban will also be extended on special events to be held in apartment complexes in the state, added Bommai.
In Maharashtra, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) urged the citizens to avoid gatherings and parties during the upcoming Christmas festival and New Year. However, BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal warned of stringent action against those who flout rules.
The national capital's first case of Omicron was reported on December 5 when a 37-year-old fully-vaccinated man who arrived in the city from Tanzania was found infected with the latest variant of coronavirus.
The DDMA also directed authorities to convene meetings with RWAs, market associations and inform them about "persistent increase" in Covid cases and also the emergence of the Omicron variant.
They should also be requested to take all requisite steps ensuring strict compliance of Covid appropriate behaviour such as wearing of masks, maintaining social distancing and frequently hand sanitising.
"MTAs (Market Traders Associations) should implement 'No Mask No Entry' policy at shops and workplaces," the DDMA said.
Following a meeting of the DDMA on Monday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced that samples of all Covid-positive patients would be sent for genome sequencing.
The genome sequencing of all positive cases started on Tuesday.
He had also made an appeal to the public to not let their guards down and wear masks to arrest the spread of coronavirus.
In an order issued on December 15, DDMA had extended till December 31 midnight its COVID-19-related curbs such as the ban on social and cultural gatherings and the cap on bars and restaurants to operate with 50 per cent of seating capacity.
In an order, the DDMA said the currently permitted and restricted activities in Delhi will continue up to the intervening night of December 31 and January 1.
Under a phased reopening with an improved COVID-19 situation in the city, the DDMA has permitted most of the activities.
However, political, social, cultural, religious and such other gatherings are still not permitted.
The national capital logged 125 Covid cases in a day, the highest since June 22, with a positivity rate of 0.20 per cent while there was zero death due to the viral infection, according to data shared by the Delhi health department here on Wednesday.
With this, the total COVID-19 cases reported in the city so far increased to 14,42,515.
Of these, over 14.16 lakh have recuperated from the disease, the department said.
The death toll due to COVID-19 stands at 25,102.
Delhi had recorded 134 coronavirus cases on June 22 with a positivity rate of 0.20 per cent while eight people had succumbed to the disease, according to data shared by the city's health department here.
On Sunday, Delhi had recorded 107 coronavirus cases while the positivity rate was 0.17 per cent.
The national capital has recorded four deaths due to Coivd in December so far.
Seven deaths were reported in November, four in October and five in September.
The city reported 102 cases on Tuesday with a positivity rate of 0.20 per cent and 91 cases on Monday with the same positivity rate.
On Sunday, the city logged 107 cases while the positivity rate was 0.17 per cent.
As many as 86 cases were reported on Saturday and 69 on Friday with a positivity rate of 0.13 per cent and 0.12 per cent, respectively.
A total of 63,313 Covid tests, including 56,511 RT-PCR, was conducted in the city on Tuesday, the bulletin stated.
There are 624 active cases in the city, up from 557 on Tuesday.
The number of people in home isolation stands at 289, up from 262 on Tuesday, the health department bulletin stated.
The active case count crossed the 500-mark after over four months on Sunday.
The national capital had 513 active cases on August 15.
The number of containment zones in the city stands at 184, up from 173 on Tuesday, the bulletin said.
Amid the Omicron scare, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had on Monday said all samples that test positive for COVID-19 will now be sent for genome sequencing.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority during which the Omicron situation, including its possible effects and steps to deal with it, was discussed, according to the chief minister.
He also urged the Centre to allow the administration of booster shots to the fully vaccinated city residents.
Kejriwal also said the home isolation system will be strengthened in Delhi as according to experts the Omicron variant only causes mild symptoms.
He said the government has made adequate arrangements for hospital beds, oxygen, medicines and everything else that may be needed to combat the virus.
"We will not let the people of Delhi face any difficulty in their treatment," he added.
The chief minister held a meeting on November 30 to review preparations to tackle a possible third wave of coronavirus and the spread of the Omicron variant.
It has been assessed that 30,000 Covid beds are ready in Delhi.
The government will be able to arrange 100 beds per ward on a two-week notice, which will take the total bed capacity in Delhi to over 64,000, according to an official statement.
Additionally, 6,800 ICU beds will also be ready very soon.
Medicine stocks are currently being added and home isolation arrangements are being strengthened, the government statement said.
(With inputs from agencies)