Delhi eases curfew as Omicron wave slows

India's capital yesterday announced the end of a weekend curfew and eased other stringent coronavirus restrictions yesterday, with government data suggesting the country's recent Omicron variant outbreak had slowed.

Meanwhile, commuters trooped back to the office in England yesterday, with public transport visibly busier, after the government scrapped restrictions imposed to combat the Omicron variant.

The return to "Plan A" measures -- ditching legal requirements for face coverings and shelving vaccine passports -- comes as the number of positive Covid-19 cases has fallen sharply from record levels.

Infection rates are still high -- more than 100,000 confirmed cases were recorded on Wednesday -- but are plateauing, easing fears that health services will be overwhelmed.

In India, health authorities are still recording more than a quarter million cases across the country each day, but daily deaths have stayed a tiny fraction of those seen last year.

Local officials in New Delhi decided to reopen restaurants, allow markets to operate at full capacity and lift an all-weekend curfew imposed at the start of January that kept nearly all residents confined to their homes.

"In view of the decline in positive cases, it was decided to gradually ease restrictions while ensuring adherence to Covid appropriate behaviour," Delhi lieutenant governor Anil Baijal said.

India recorded more than 285,000 new cases overnight -- down substantially from the figures seen a week earlier -- and just 573 deaths.

"In the last five to seven days there is an early indication of Covid cases plateauing... but we need to observe and take precautions," health ministry official Lav Agarwal told a press conference yesterday.

An overnight curfew will remain in effect for all the capital's residents except essential workers.

The coronavirus has killed at least 5,625,889 people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to an AFP tally compiled from official sources yesterday.

Meanwhile, the EU's drug watchdog yesterday approved Pfizer's coronavirus pill, making it the first oral antiviral treatment for the disease to be authorised in Europe.

Studies showed the drug called Paxlovid reduces hospitalisation and death in patients at risk of severe Covid, and may also be effective against the Omicron variant.

Pills are seen as a potentially huge step in ending the pandemic as they can be taken at home, rather than in hospital.