A coronavirus surveillance team today was greeted with claps and cheers by traders and labourers in Delhi's Azadpur Mandi, hours after nearly 300 shops in the market were closed down.
The decision to shut down a section of Asia's biggest wholesale market for fruits and vegetables was taken after a trader died and two new cases of coronavirus emerged on Wednesday.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, retweeting a video originally posted by an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, praised the healthcare and medical heroes at the frontline in the fight against highly contagious COVID-19, caused by a novel coronavirus.
आज पूरा समाज हमारे कोरोना योद्धाओं का अभिवादन कर रहा है। सभी डॉक्टर, नर्स और अन्य मेडिकल स्टाफ के बहादुरी और जज्बे को सलाम https://t.co/e3uo1NZJ8S
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 24, 2020
"Salute to the bravery and spirit of all the doctors, nurses and other medical staff," he tweeted.
After the death of the 57-year-old trader, surveillance teams reached the market to trace more of his contacts. 17 people who came in contact with the trader have already been tested.
The Delhi government had decided to allow Azadpur Mandi, which houses close to 2,800 tightly packed shops, to operate round-the-clock after a group of farmers requested the Chief Minister to save their livelihoods.
The government said vegetables and fruits will be sold from 6 am to 10 pm and thereafter, trucks will be allowed to enter the market between 10 pm and 6 am.
Around 600 sanitation workers have been engaged for cleanliness and 900 civil defence volunteers were placed to ensure social-distancing at the Mandi.
The national capital has 2,376 coronavirus cases, including 50 deaths.
The global pandemic has infected 23,452people across the country with more than 700 deaths.
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