Mask mandate returns in Delhi, Rs 500 fine for violation

India

oi-Deepika S

New
Delhi,
Aug
11:
Amid
steady
rise
in
Covid
cases,
the
Delhi
government
on
Thursday
made
masks
mandatory
at
public
places
with
immediate
effect,
and
imposed
a
fine
of
Rs
500
for
any
violation
of
the
mandate.

The
fine
under
this
provision
of
the
notification
will
not
be
applicable
to
persons
travelling
together
in
private
four-wheeler
vehicles.

COVID-19:
Omicron’s
new
sub-variant
with
more
transmissibility
detected
in
Delhi

The
national
capital
has
witnessed
an
uptick
in
daily
cases
over
the
last
week.
The
number
of
deaths
has
also
been
showing
an
upward
trend.

Delhi
has
recorded
32
deaths
due
to
COVID-19
so
far
in
August,
an
over
two-fold
rise
as
against
the
last
10
days
of
July
when
14
people
succumbed
to
the
viral
disease,
according
to
official
data.

Delhi
recorded
two
deaths
on
August
1,
three
on
August
2,
five
on
August
3,
four
on
August
4,
two
on
August
5,
one
on
August
6,
two
on
August
7,
six
on
August
8
and
seven
on
August
9,
the
data
showed.

One
death
each
was
recorded
on
July
22
and
23,
two
each
on
July
24,
25,
26
and
27,
zero
on
July
28,
one
each
on
July
29
and
30,
and
zero
on
July
31.

The
number
of
deaths
recorded
on
August
9
was
the
highest
in
nearly
180
days.
Delhi’s
COVID-19
death
toll
stands
at
26,343.

However,
experts
and
officials
said
that
fatalities
are
being
recorded
among
people
who
have
comorbidities
or
are
suffering
from
cancer,
tuberculosis,
or
other
accompanying
illnesses.