No possibility of lockdown in Delhi: Satyendar Jain

New Delhi: Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Saturday dismissed any possibility of imposing another lockdown in Delhi, saying it was not a solution to check the spread of the coronavirus that is again surging rapidly.

Jain said there was a logic behind the lockdown enforced earlier as nobody knew then how the virus propagates.

"It follows a 14-day cycle -- between a person catching the infection and recovering from it. Experts said the virus will die if a lockdown is imposed for 21 days," Jain told reporters.

"Authorities kept on extending the lockdown, but the virus did not die. I don't think lockdown is a solution," he said.

There



is "no possibility" of imposing another lockdown in the city, Jain said.

The minister added that there were enough hospital beds available for coronavirus patients and it could be increased if the need arises.

Delhi reported over 1,500 coronavirus cases for the second day on the trot on Friday, while nine more people, highest in around two months, succumbed to the pathogen, the Health Department said.

The 1,534 new infections pushed the tally to 6,54,276, while over 6.36 lakh patients have recovered from the virus. This is the highest number of cases since December 16 when 1,547 people tested positive, according to official data.