COVID-19: Delhi govt unlikely to go for night curfew as positivity rate declining

New Delhi: The Delhi government is unlikely to go for a night curfew as the COVID-19 case positivity rate in the city has been showing a declining trend for the last few weeks, sources said on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said in a media briefing that Delhi's positivity rate has fallen by a margin of nearly 55 percent since early November and it should reduce further in the next two weeks.

"Positivity rate in Delhi has decreased to 7.35 percent from 15.26 percent on November 7. There were 3,726 new cases in Delhi yesterday with a positivity rate of 7.35 percent," he said.

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Last week, the Delhi government had informed the High Court that it may decide in three to four days whether to impose a night curfew in the national capital to contain the spread of COVID-19.

"The government's decision to decide about curfew was tied to positivity rate. Since positivity rate has declined considerably meaning decreased infection, it is unlikely that the government will favour night curfew," a source in the government said.

The Ministry of Home Affairs in its guidelines issued on November 25 had said that the states and union territories based on their assessment can impose local restrictions like night curfew to check the spread of COVID-19.

Jain, when asked about the possibility of night curfew in Delhi, had last week told reporters that the government was keeping a close eye on the trend of infection. "We are watching whatever step is to be taken. We will see if it (positivity rate) declines or reverses," he had said.

According to the Delhi government's health bulletin on Tuesday evening, a total of 4,006, fresh cases of coronavirus infection was recorded in a day while the positivity rate further dipped to 6.85 percent.