Markets in the national capital can stay open beyond 8 pm from August 23, with the Delhi government on Saturday announcing lifting of restrictions in view of a decline in COVID-19 cases in the city.

No death due to COVID-19 was recorded in Delhi on Saturday, the second consecutive day the daily fatality count stood nil, while 19 fresh cases were reported, the lowest since April 15 last year, according to data shared by the city health department.

"In view of the coronavirus situation, the markets were presently allowed to stay open till 8 pm. With the decline in COVID-19 cases, this time limit is being done away with from Monday. The markets can stay open according to their normal timing," Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi.

This is the twelfth time since the starting of the second wave of the pandemic in the national capital that zero fatality has been logged in a day.

On July 18, July 24, July 29, August 2, August 4, August 8, August 11, August 12, August 13, August 16 and August 20 too, no death due to COVID-19 was recorded, according to official data.

On March 2 this year, the city had reported zero death due to the virus.