India imposes curfews as Covid-19 cases surge and New Delhi chief minister tests positive

India has recorded 37,379 new Covid-19 cases over a 24-hour period, the nation’s health ministry said on January 4, 2022. The one-day figure was the highest reported since early September 2021. Authorities in some of India’s largest cities including the capital New Delhi have imposed curfews and other restrictions to try and halt the spread of the coronavirus. The capital’s chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on January 4 that he has contracted the coronavirus. Health officials say more than 80 per cent of samples collected in New Delhi have been identified as the fast-spreading Omicron variant of the virus.