New Delhi: The Delhi government on Wednesday made it compulsory for people to wear face masks when stepping outdoors to combat the coronavirus spread.
Announcing the decision after a high-level meeting, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, "Wearing of facial masks can reduce the spread of coronavirus substantially."
"Therefore, it has been decided that facial masks will be compulsory for anyone stepping out of their house. Cloth mask shall be eligible too," he tweeted.
The Mumbai civic body also made wearing of masks at public places compulsory, an official release stated. Issuing a circular, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) also warned of arrest under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for flouting its order.
"All persons moving out for whatever purpose and for whatever reason in public places like streets, hospitals, offices, markets etc must wear mask or cloth mask," it stated.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that all government departments have been directed to stop all expenditures except salary, adding that they will have to cut expenses drastically considering the current revenue status.
The meeting to discuss measures to contain the COVID-19 spread was attended by ministers and top officials of Delhi.
As on Tuesday, the total number of coronavirus cases in the national capital rose to 576, with 51 fresh cases and two deaths being reported in a day, according to the Delhi Health Department.
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