Positivity rate now at 5.7% but daily tests begin to rise

New Delhi: Delhi logged 1,009 fresh Covid cases on Wednesday, a 60 per cent jump from a day ago, with the city government making the wearing of masks in public places mandatory again and announcing a Rs 500 fine on violators.

This was the maximum number of cases recorded in Delhi since February 10 when 1,104 infections were reported.

A total of 17,701 tests were conducted a day ago and 5.7 per cent of them were positive. One person died due to the infection in a day, the latest health bulletin said.

There are 54 COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals in Delhi at present. 1,578 are recuperating in home isolation. Of the 9,737 beds available for Covid patients in hospitals, just 91 are occupied.

Also, 97 per cent of the samples taken from those who died of Covid in Delhi from January to March had the Omicron variant of coronavirus, according to government data.

Genome sequencing of 578 samples collected from the deceased showed 560 of them had the Omicron variant.

The remaining 18 (three percent) had other variants of COVID-19, including Delta, which fuelled the ferocious second wave of infections in April and May last year, and sub lineages.

Meanwhile, various trader associations and RWAs here on Wednesday welcomed the move to make masks mandatory in public places but urged the Delhi government to hold consultations with them before imposing any further restrictions if Covid cases continues to rise in the capital.

Welcoming the move, Atul Bhargava, president, New Delhi Traders Association, said he never wanted customers to visit shops in Connaught Place without masks and social distancing.

"However, if things get worse in future, the government should then call the associations for a discussion and we are ready to provide solutions too. The government would not know the ground realities sitting in their office." Sanjeev Madan, president, Traders Associations of Lajpat Nagar said the government should not have removed the order of wearing of masks.

He suggested that the fine amount for violators should also be increased from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000.

In the meantime, the Delhi government has stepped up preparations, including arranging hospital beds, medical oxygen and medicines, officials said on Wednesday and asserted that the situation is "fully under control".