January 5

Authorities in India's capital have decided to impose a weekend stay-at-home order in response to a surge in the number of coronavirus infections.

New cases in the country started increasing toward the end of 2021. The figure in New Delhi jumped more than ten times in a week.

Local officials on Tuesday said that from this week, residents must remain at home on Saturdays and Sundays except for those working in sectors vital to maintain social functions.

All government employees will work from home, unless they are engaged in such services as utilities, health, and medical care.

Private companies also should limit the ratio of workers coming to the office to 50 percent.

India saw its daily case counts exceed 400,000 in May. But the number of new infections has been on the decline, before it began rising from the year-end.

On Tuesday, the country reported more than 37,000 new cases. The total tally of Omicron infections stands at 1,892.

The Indian government began to inoculate teenagers aged 15 to 18 years old on Monday. It plans to start providing booster shots to medical workers next week.

NHK