'If Delhi opened tomorrow, it'll be disaster'

May 12, 2021 17:41

The head of the main health agency responding to the coronavirus has said districts reporting a high number of infections should remain locked down for another six to eight weeks to control the spread of the rampaging disease.

Dr Balram Bhargava, head of the Indian Council of Medical Research, said in an interview that lockdown restrictions should remain in place in all districts where the rate of infection is above 10 per cent of those tested.

Currently, three-fourths of India's 718 districts have what is known as a test-positivity rate above 10 per cent, including major cities like New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.

Dr Bhargava's comments are the first time a senior government official has outlined how long lockdowns, which already encompass large parts of country, need to continue to rein in the crisis in India.

"The high positivity districts should remain (shut). If they come to 5 per cent from 10 per cent(positivity rate) we can open them, but that has to happen. That won't happen in six-eight weeks, clearly," Dr Bhargava said.

Referring to the capital, one of India's hardest hit cities where the positivity rate reached around 35 per cent but has now fallen to about 17 per cent, Dr Bhargava said: "If Delhi is opened tomorrow, it will be a disaster."

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