36,302 tests lead to 1,984 new cases; death toll climbs to 5,272

New Delhi: Delhi on Monday reported 1,984 new COVID-19 cases, taking the infection tally here to over 2.73 lakh as the Capital added 37 deaths to its toll from the contagious disease, taking fatalities here to 5,272. However, the relatively low daily case count comes as a result of only around 36,302 COVID-19 tests conducted in the last 24 hours.

And even as the pressure to increase RT-PCR tests mounts, the Delhi government conducted 7,672 of these "gold-standard" tests, compared to 28,630 rapid antigen tests in the last 24 hours. Delhi has consistently been testing a total of around 60,000 samples daily for the last few weeks, except on Sundays when the testing has been lower.

Meanwhile, sources close to Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told Millennium Post that his condition is stable and that he is likely to be discharged on Tuesday (today). Sisodia had tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month but had been moved to the ICU facility in Max Saket after he was diagnosed with dengue while he was at the state-run Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital here.

Sources at the Max hospital also said that he is doing better. "His condition is now better. If everything goes well, then the deputy chief minister may be discharged from the hospital within two days," said an official from the Deputy Chief Minister's Office. The Delhi government on Monday said that active COVID-19 cases in the city had dropped marginally to 27,123, with 16,679 of them recovering under home isolation. Around 6,659 COVID-19 beds in hospitals across the city are currently occupied and that over 9,100 COVID-19 beds were vacant.