Highest 1-day spike with 571 new cases
New Delhi: The Coronavirus death toll in Delhi has climbed to 194, while 571 fresh cases of COVID-19 infection reported on Thursday, the highest single-day spike, took the total in the city to 11,659. According to the report, total number of home-quarantined patients is 2,739 in the city, a total of 379 more than the previous tally which was 2,358. Total testing in the city also reached 1,54,385 as 4,103 tests have been conducted in 24 hours period. The number of containment zones in Delhi has been reduced to 64.
The city also witnessed recovery of as many as 375 patients during one day period and the total recovery till date reached 5,567. Since 300 to 500 patients are being recovered every day for the last couple of weeks, recovery rate in the national Capital is highest than the national's average and highest among all the states which have registered more than 10,000 cases. Delhi's recovery rate is 47.75 percent while national average is 40.30 percent or 7.45 percent less.
Amid speculation of more deaths in the city, the data released by Delhi government also witnessed jump in death toll from 176 to 194, a jump of 18 deaths in a single day. To ensure timely reporting of deaths the Delhi government has issued Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) for all hospitals and nursing, second time in last two weeks. The government order has stated that despite the earlier circulated SOPs, health care facilities in Delhi are not timely reporting death of COVID positive patients. All MSs, MDs, directors of government and private hospitals are once again being directed the SOPs and violation of order will invite strict action as per the DDMA guidelines and without serving any notice.
The SOPs issued by Chief Secretary Vijay Dev directed every hospital and Covid-19 care centre to report all Covid-19 deaths to the district and state surveillance unit by 5 pm, along with scanned copies of case summary, medical files and the relevant data required by the death audit committee formed by Delhi government.
Every COVID hospital and health facility will designate a nodal officer who will ensure all deaths occurring in the respective hospitals are communicated timely. The heads of the hospital will ensure that the reporting is done without fail," said an official from the health department. Even if no death has occurred, the medical facility has to submit a 'NIL' report to the state IDSP cell. The death audit committee will examine the reports. "The committee will examine and see all relevant documents and after due diligence, will declare 'Death due to Covid-19 or otherwise," the SOPs stated.
If any medical facility fails to provide the details by 6 pm, then the head/nodal officer concerned will have to provide a written explanation for the delays in sharing the details. "Non-compliance will be viewed seriously and strict action as per the relevant provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, as well as other relevant laws will be taken against the defaulters without any further notice," the order further reads.
