No dinning, only home delivery, takeaway in Delhi restaurants

 Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday announced shutting down of all the restaurants with immediate effect, but kept the option open for takeaway food and home delivery till March 31 to check the spread of coronavirus.

"All restaurants in Delhi will be closed from today for dinning till March 31. However, takeaways and home delivery will be allowed as many people depend on outside food," Kejriwal said after a review meeting on COVID-19.

He said stamping will be done on those who were asked to stay in quarantine "after cases were found that people are not following orders strictly."

"We have started stamping people who have been asked to remain in home quarantine upon their arrival in India. If such persons don't keep themselves in quarantine, they will be arrested and an FIR will be lodged against them," the Cheif Minister said.

The bar on mass gatherings has come down to 20 in Delhi.

"Gathering of more than 20 people -- political, social, cultural, religious, etc -- will not be allowed from now on. Previous order was for a gathering of more than 50 people," the CM said.

"There is no need to panic. We need to take preventive steps."

He said all vehicles, public and private transport are being disinfected in Delhi.

Kejriwal said the government will also disinfect all the private vehicles from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. after there were long queues at the depots.

"We may further increase the time, if the demand increases."

Also, the shopping malls in Delhi have been told to place santizers at all entry points.

Kejriwal said a total of 10 patients were found positive in Delhi and out of them, six are improving.

"One person had died. Two have been discharged, while one went to Singapore. Out of the six remaining, no one is critical."

He said the government is ready with 768-bed capacity quarantine, out of which 711 are empty. Only 57 are occupied.

"We are having 550 beds for treatment for those sick. Only 40 beds were occupied by suspected patients."

Kejriwal said India has succeeded in keeping coronavirus at containment level; it is not at the community level. IANS