Nearly every third test positive; 161 deaths, 25.4K cases in a day
New Delhi: Delhi on Sunday recorded the biggest jump in its daily COVID-19 tally with 25,462 fresh cases, while the positivity rate shot up to 29.74 per cent — meaning almost every third sample being tested in the city is turning out to be positive. Authorities reported 161 deaths due to the disease in the last 24 hours. A day ago, 24,375 COVID-19 cases and 167 deaths were reported in the city.
With the fresh cases, the national Capital's cumulative tally has risen to 8,53,460. The death toll stands at 12,121, according to the latest bulletin.
A total of 85,620 tests, including 56,015 RT-PCR tests and 29,605 rapid antigen tests, were conducted the previous day, the bulletin said.
So far, over 7.66 lakh patients have recovered in Delhi, it added. The number of active cases in the city increased to 74,941 from 69,799 the day before, the bulletin stated.
The number of people under home isolation increased to 34,938 from 32,156 on Saturday, while that of containment zones mounted to 13,259 from 11,235 the day before, it said.
Of the 17,514 beds available for Coronavirus patients in Delhi, 3,627 are vacant, it said.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Satyendra Jain said that the Covid situation was critical in the capital but there is no need to panic as of now as there are several potential solutions to handle the situation.
"There are 3-4 solutions. In Delhi, we have increased the number of beds from 6,000 to 17,000 over the past few days. The expansion had been quick, although occupancy remains too high despite that," he said.
Jain explained that the fresh cases coming in daily is the cumulative figure for months together. Several sections of people who had escaped the wave last time, are now being hit.
"The positivity rate is very high now. The numbers are increasing. It is unprecedented. It was difficult to imagine these numbers. Yesterday, Delhi had 24,375 new cases. Today, too, such a number is expected," Jain said. He said his government has been active and that on Saturday it had flagged a shortage of oxygen and Remdesivir, the drug administered to Covid patients under critical conditions.
He also said that some people choose to stay admitted to the hospital despite getting a go-ahead from the doctors for discharge and appealed to them to not fear losing out on the bed, as the shortage was being met and requested them to cooperate.
"To tackle the Covid situation in Delhi, hospital beds for Covid-19 is under continuous escalation. 1979 normal oxygen supported Covid beds have been added. Additional 219 ICU beds with ventilator and 696 ICU beds without ventilator have been increased," he wrote on Twitter.
Meanwhile, in the last 24 hours, 67,448 beneficiaries were vaccinated against the Coronavirus.
Later in the day, AAP senior leader and legislator Raghav Chadha said on Sunday he has chaired a meeting of all head of departments of the LNJP hospital in the city and discussed with them proper patient management and streamlining of operations amid the pandemic.
He visited the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital and directed officials to ensure beds for every patient and expressed gratitude towards healthcare workers for their fight against COVID-19.
