Positivity rate at 0.44% with 316 new cases and 41 deaths

New Delhi: The national capital recorded 316 fresh COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of 0.44 per cent, and 41 fatalities, according to the health bulletin released on Tuesday. The number of new coronavirus cases and the positivity rate saw a slight increase from Monday's figures.

After the second wave of coronavirus weakened, the Delhi government started the unlock process, in which markets were allowed to open from Monday on an odd-even basis, along with malls. Delhi Metro also started operations with a 50 per cent capacity.

Delhi had reported 231 instances of the COVID-19 infection, the lowest since March 2, with the positivity rate dipping to 0.36 per cent, according to the health bulletin released on Monday.

The death toll here rose to 24,668, the latest bulletin said. The case fatality rate is 1.73 per cent, according to the bulletin.

A total of 71,879 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, including 48,574 RTPCR/CBNAAT/TrueNat tests. As many as 521 people recovered, were discharged or migrated out during the last 24 hours. Out of 24,208 beds in hospitals, 21,595 are vacant.

The number of active novel coronavirus cases stands at 4,962, of which 1,795 are in home isolation, the bulletin said.

Since April 19, both daily cases and single-day death count had been spiralling up, with over 28,000 cases and 277 deaths recorded on April 20; rising to 306 fatalities on April 22. On May 3, the city registered a record 448 deaths, according to official data.

However, the number of cases has shown a downward trend and the positivity rate too has been shrinking in the last several days. The number of deaths per day has also been showing a decline in the last few days.

As a result of Covid deaths having reduced significantly in the last few weeks, crematoria and burial grounds have now got some breathing room, with municipal authorities now directing to stop night cremations.

Given the sheer number of deaths owing to the brutality of the second wave of the pandemic, it had become necessary to continue cremations well into this night, in some cases till the sun came up again.

According to a report, several crematorium officials have said that the lower body count has allowed them to stop taking in bodies beyond a certain time every day. Some crematoria have also put up notices saying they will longer be taking bodies throughout the night.