New Delhi: As Delhi reported 1,674 fresh COVID-19 cases on Monday — the lowest daily spike in almost a month and a half, Health Minister Satyendar Jain announced that the daily positivity rate had dipped to 3.15 per cent from 15.26 per cent a month ago.
The new cases on Monday came out of the 53,207 tests conducted in the last 24 hours, according to the Delhi government's official health bulletin. The Capital added 63 deaths to its toll from the virus, which climbed to 9,706.
Jain added in a Twitter post that in the last one month, the positivity rate of RT-PCR tests had also reduced drastically. He said, "During the same period RTPCR positivity reduced to 6.68% from 30.20%.Lowest positivity in last 6 months. Steadily corona cases and positivity coming down.Hope this will continue.Please observe all precautions."
The positivity rate on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday was 4.96 per cent, 4.78 per cent, 4.2 per cent and 3.68 per cent respectively.
The tally of active cases on Monday dropped to 22,486 from 24,693 the previous day. The national capital had recorded 2706 fresh COVID-19 cases on Sunday.
The bulletin said that the total number of cases of coronavirus infection has climbed to 5,93,924.
Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court on Monday said it expected the Delhi government to "scrupulously follow" the guidelines issued by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for handling and disposal of waste generated during diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19
patients.
The observation by a bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan came after the Delhi government said protocols are in place for handling and disposal of COVID-19 test kits and swabs and action would be taken against those not following the same.
It had also placed on record the 'Guidelines for Handling, Treatment, and Disposal of Waste Generated during Treatment/Diagnosis/Quarantine of COVID-19 Patients' issued by the CPCB in July.
Taking note of the submission made by Delhi government additional standing counsel Sanjoy Ghose and advocate Naman Jain, the court said: "We expect the respondents (Delhi government) that the guidelines and protocols shall be scrupulously followed by them".
With the observation, the bench disposed of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a lawyer alleging improper disposal of used swabs from rapid antigen tests for COVID-19 at the office of the southeast Delhi district magistrate at Lajpat Nagar.
The petitioner, Pankaj Mehta, had alleged that used swabs were being "thrown out in public" and "tests were being carried out over a pile of used swabs for COVID-19" at the district magistrate's office.
"Upon complaining about the risk of widespread infection and the irregularity behind disposing off the swabs in this manner, the doctor concerned at the counter said the swabs are of negative patients and thus it is safe to stand over them and get yourself tested," Mehta had claimed in his plea.