Delhi daily COVID-19 cases crosses 2,000-mark, Health Minister says no lockdown

Delhi on Friday recorded 2,137 COVID-19 cases, the biggest spike for a single day, taking the total number of cases to over 36,000 even as city's Health Minister Satyender Jain said lockdown will not be re-imposed in the city.

As the numbers rose, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal asked officials to ensure strict compliance of restrictions in containment areas and ramp up bed capacity and medical resources to handle the situation.

According to the medical bulletin released on late Friday night, 71 deaths have been added to the toll, taking the total to 1,214. There are 22,212 people still under treatment, including 17,261 in home isolation.

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It said 667 people have been discharged in the past 24 hours, with the total number of recoveries rising to 13,398.

The total number of cases is now at 36,824 and out of this 41.16% or 16,980 of the total cases were reported in June alone.

The data also showed that with increase in number of testings, the number of cases also increased. While on June 10, 5,047 samples were tested out of which 1,501 tested positive, the number increased on June 11 to 1877 cases when 5,360 samples were tested. As per Friday's bulletin, there were 5,947 cases, the number crossed 2,000-mark.

However, the Delhi government did not appear to re-imposing lockdown in the wake of rising cases, amid speculation about the authorities planning to do so.

Jain's assertion that there has been no discussion on imposing lockdown in the capital came amid the state and the Centre differing on announcing the city entering the third stage of community transmission of COVID-19.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been among the first to say that one has to learn to live with the virus and one cannot continue with it for long, as it would have a negative impact on the economy.

To a question on the mis-match between the official COVID-19 toll and the figures provided by the three municipal corporations, Jain asked why they were not sharing details like names, age and medical reports with the state government.

"There are COVID-19 positive deaths, there are suspected COVID-19 deaths. All are cremated or buried as per COVID-19 protocol and marked so. The municipalities should provide us with details, including medical reports," he said.

On Thursday, North Delhi Municipal Corporation Standing Committee Chairperson Jai Kishan said the three municipalities (North, East and South Delhi) had facilitated funerals of 2,098 COVID-19 positive people and over 200 suspected COVID-19 people between March and June 10. As on June 11, the official toll, however, stood at 1,085.

As the number of cases crossed 35,000-mark, the Lieutenant Governor held a meeting to review the strategies for containment zones management in Delhi with Kejriwal, Jain, Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Dev and other senior officials.

Baijal has said the objective is to break the chain of transmission and reduce mortality due to COVID-19. He directed officials to ramp up bed capacity and medical resources so that surge in cases does not overwhelm the healthcare system.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal held a meeting to review the strategies for containment zones management in Delhi with Kejriwal, Jain, Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Dev and other senior officials.

He asked officials to ensure strict compliance of restrictions in containment areas and ramp up bed capacity and medical resources to handle the situation.

The LG also asked all District Magistrates and Deputy Commissioners of Police to focus on proper delineation, strict perimeter control and active house to house surveillance with special focus on high risk population.

He also urged field functionaries to ensure mobility restrictions, social distancing measures, hygienic practices, quarantine of contacts, risk communication and awareness among public on preventive and public health measures to contain COVID-19 and its further spread.