The DDMA maintained that the Covid-19 situation in the national capital is “good” but precautions must be maintained, sources present in the meeting chaired by Lt Governor Anil Baijal said.

“It was decided during the meeting that “schools for remaining classes will be reopened after Diwali”, the sources were quoted as saying by PTI.

All the government and private schools in the city for classes nine to 12 were allowed to reopen on 1 September by the DDMA.

Ramleela, Dussehra, Durga Puja festivals allowed

Ramleela, Dussehra and Durga Puja festivals were also allowed with proper standard operating procedures (SOPs) like social distancing and wearing masks in place, the report said.

The Delhi Police officials and district administration have been directed to ensure strict enforcement of Covid-appropriate behaviour.

They were also directed to ensure that gatherings that take place during the festive season are strictly in compliance with the laid down SOPs, including no standing crowds, separate entry and exit points, appropriate social distancing for seating, and no activities (fares, stalls, swings) that attract crowds, they added.

Meanwhile, Delhi recorded two Covid-19 deaths and 34 fresh instances of the infection in a day with a 0.05 per cent case positivity rate, according to a health bulletin issued on Tuesday.

The national capital has recorded five fatalities due to the viral infection in September so far. One fatality each was recorded on September 7, 16 and 17.

With 25 patients discharged in a day, the city has 373 active COVID-19 cases, up from 366 on Monday. The Covid case tally in Delhi has climbed to 14,38,780, of which over 14.13 lakh patients have recovered. The death toll has risen to 25,087.

As many as 105 patients are in home isolation, down from 107 the previous day. The number of containment zones in the city stands at 94, according to the bulletin.

The authorities conducted 65,101 tests, including 41,359 RT-PCR ones, on Monday. The rest were rapid-antigen tests.

Delhi had recorded 32 COVID-19 cases and zero deaths due to the disease on Monday, while the positivity rate stood at 0.06 per cent. The city reported 29 cases of the infection on Sunday, 27 on Saturday and 24 on Friday.

The city battled a brutal second wave of the pandemic in April and May that claimed a massive number of lives with the issue of oxygen shortage in hospitals adding to the woes.

On April 20, Delhi had reported 28,395 cases, the highest in the city since the beginning of the pandemic. On April 22, the case positivity rate was 36.2 per cent, the highest so far. The highest 448 deaths were reported on May 3.

Amid apprehension of a third wave, the Delhi government has been ramping up its health infrastructure to prevent a repeat of the crisis witnessed during the peak of the second wave of the pandemic.

Steps have been taken to increase the number of hospital beds to accommodate up to 37,000 cases a day and to become self-reliant in terms of oxygen supply.

Around 7,000 ICU beds are being added at government healthcare facilities in Shalimar Bagh, Kirari, Sarita Vihar, Sultanpuri, Raghuveer Nagar, and GTB Hospital and Chacha Nehru Hospital.

At present, there are 10,000 ICU beds in the national capital.

As many as 1,73,59825 beneficiaries have been vaccinated in the national capital till now, out of which 55,35,564 have received both the jabs.

With agency inputs