'Delhi to ask for COVID-19 negative report from travellers from 5 states'

New Delhi: Amid a spike in coronavirus infections in some states, the Delhi government is likely to ask travellers from five states, including Maharashtra, Kerala and Punjab, to show negative COVID-19 test report before entering the national capital, officials said on Wednesday.

They said an official order will be issued later in the day and it will be effective till March 15.

People travelling in flights, trains and buses from these states will have to produce negative test report before entering Delhi, they said.

The requirement of the negative COVID-19 test report is likely to be implemented from Friday night, officials said.

The issue had also been discussed in a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Monday.

Maharashtra is showing a daily surge in COVID-19 cases, according to an official of the Union Health Ministry. Kerala is showing an incremental decline, but the daily cases in absolute numbers is still high over there. Punjab, with its daily increase in cases, is also a cause of worry.

Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh are also showing an increase in daily cases, the central official had said on Tuesday.

Delhi recorded 145 fresh COVID-19 cases and two new fatalities on Tuesday, while the positivity rate stood at 0.25 per cent, authorities said.

With this, the toll from the coronavirus infection has gone up to 10,903 and the case tally rose to 6,38,173.