New Delhi: The Delhi government on Thursday ordered the shutting of all restaurants in the national Capital till March 31 amid the Coronavirus outbreak but said that takeaway and home delivery services will continue.
Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said non-essential government services will be discontinued from Friday but essential public services will remain open in the national Capital.
Kejriwal said a detailed list of government departments which are providing non-essential services will be released on Friday.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Lt Governor Anil Baijal and attended by Kejriwal and senior officers of the Delhi government, a statement from the LG office said.
Mandatory thermal screening at public places likes malls, courts, offices, hotels, hospitals and residential complexes was ordered during the meeting, it said.
Efforts should also be made for thermal scanning of everyone at public spaces, it added.
Kejriwal said the government has also banned social, cultural, political gathering with more than 20 people. Earlier, gathering of more than 50 people was prohibited in Delhi to contain the spread of coronavirus. "We have succeeded in keeping Coronavirus at the containment stage and it is not at community level," he said.
The Chief Minister also asked those directed to undergo quarantine must follow rules or strict action may be taken against them.
"Dine-in arrangements in all restaurants shall remain closed in Delhi till March 31. However, restaurants can continue home-deliveries and takeaways," Kejriwal said. A government official said dine-in service at restaurants in five-star hotels too has been banned but guests can order meals in their rooms.
All the educational institutions have also been directed to remain shut till March 31 for both teaching and non-teaching staff, he said. The Delhi government is taking all relevant measures to contain the spread of Coronavirus.
"We have had 10 cases in Delhi until now with the demise of one of the patients.
Two patients have recovered and 1 patient has left for Singapore. We currently have 6 COVID-19 patients and most of them are recovering now," he said.
The government has also started stamping all those who have been advised to self-quarantine, Kejriwal said, adding that strict action will be taken against those who violate self-quarantine rules.
FIR for violation of conditions by home quarantine person under section 188 of IPC as prescribed under Regulation 18 of the Delhi Epidemic Diseases, COVID-19 Regulations, 2020 was issued by health and family department.
"We have a capacity of 768 beds to be installed in the quarantine facilities until now, with only 57 beds that are currently occupied. We have 550 isolation beds in the Delhi government hospitals for the treatment of COVID-19 patients out of which 40 beds have been occupied with suspected coronavirus cases," he said.
There are 95 beds available in the central government hospitals out of which 67 beds have been occupied by suspected COVID-19 patients, he said.
Earlier in the day, the Delhi Police said it will not conduct drunken driving test unless someone is visibly drunk and driving recklessly.
They said no drunken driving checking will be conducted uless someone is visibly drunk and driving so recklessly as to endanger his/her or others' life.
Delhi Food and Civil Supplies Minister Imran Hussain on Thursday reviewed the availability of face masks, sanitizers and medicines across the national Capital in the wake of Coronavirus outbreak.
He also directed the Commissioner, Food and Civil Supplies, to ensure availability of masks, sanitizers in various offices of the department.
Due to Coronavirus 'Babul Ilm Mosque' in Okhla Vihar suspends Friday Prayers for two consecutive weeks.This has been done as a precautionary measure to avoid large religious gathering. The situation would be reviewed after two weeks.
Amid Coronavirus outbreak in national Capital, six COVID-19 suspects fled LNJP hospital on Thursday morning. According to sources, suspects claimed that they were not getting better facilities. They were shifted from RML hospital to LNJP. According to a senior officer they have not received any complaint from the hospital side.
Meanwhile, the total number of Coronavirus cases in the national Capital on Thursday rose to 14, according to the Delhi Health Department.