New Delhi: As Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Tuesday asserted that the Covid-19 surge in the Capital is under control and that his government is constantly monitoring it, the city reported 5,100 new Covid-19 cases along with 17 more deaths from the virus. This is the highest single-day surge in cases this year.
Significantly, the city conducted over 1 lakh tests in the last 24 hours, resulting in the daily positivity rate dipping slightly to 4.93 per cent. When Jain was asked about the positivity rate crossing 5 per cent a day ago, he said, "So far, there is only one day where the positivity rate was more than 5 per cent. The trend needs to be monitored, and we are keeping a close watch on it."
"We have directed both the government and private hospitals to escalate the number of beds available for Covid patients. Almost 5,000 beds will be added in both private and Delhi Government hospitals," Jain added in a statement.
The health minister added, "Vaccination sites in all 33 Delhi Government Hospitals will be functional for 24 hours. The benefit of rolling out the vaccine to all will be that the young generation, although do not face problems, can act as carriers of the infection. If they test positive, their families would be at risk of contracting the infection."
Jain added that people in Delhi are seen preferring government facilities over private ones for getting their shots and that more than 12 lakh people had been vaccinated in Delhi so far.
According to data from Tuesday, the number of people who received the jab till 6 pm was 76,642, including 66,543 who received the first dose of the vaccine, according to official figures.
And as vaccinations are underway, a Joint Commissioner of Police of the Delhi Police has tested positive for the disease, 20 days after taking the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. While he has gone into quarantine, his contacts have been asked to self-isolate.
Meanwhile, with hospitals rushing to deal with the surge in cases, the AIIMS here announced on Tuesday that it will temporarily shut its walk-in OPD services from Thursday. OPDs will however continue to register and provide OPD requisite services for those patients who are having prior appointments. Meanwhile, departments have been asked to limit the flow of patients for the next four weeks.