Covid wave in Delhi likely at peak, will lift curbs if cases go down, says Jain

New Delhi: Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain on Wednesday said the number of hospital admissions in the national capital due to COVID-19 had stabilised over the last five days which indicated that the current wave of the pandemic had peaked and cases may start declining in two-three days.

Even as this announcement came, the Health Department's official health bulletin reported 40 more Covid deaths in a day along with over 27,000 fresh cases as the positvity rose further to over 26 per cent.

The number of daily cases has been hovering around 20,000 for the last few days, and the positivity rate has consistently been around 25 per cent, Jain said hours before the health bulletin was made available to the public.

"We have observed that the number of hospital admissions has stabilised in the last four to five days and only 2,209 of the 14,621 beds are occupied and 85 per cent of the beds are vacant," the minister told reporters. "Plateauing of hospital admissions is an indication that the wave has peaked.

We may see a decline in cases in two to three days," he said, adding that if this happens, the restrictions put in place will be lifted.

Cases have started declining in Mumbai and Delhi is likely to follow the same trend, Jain added.

"This, however, does not mean that the threat of Covid has passed. People should strictly adhere to all guidelines so that the spread can be controlled as soon as possible," he said.

Significantly, even as fresh cases continue to rise in the city, the rate at which the daily positivity rate is rising has seemingly reduced. While authorities here have presented data to say that this wave of infections is milder compared to the Delta wave, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has cautioned people that this should not make residents irresponsible and callous. He and other Cabinet ministers have consistently urged the people to follow all Covid restrictions and get vaccinated as soon as possible.