Coronavirus: Active COVID-19 cases in Delhi touch 5,000, tally crosses 7,000

Total COVID-19 cases leapt over the 7,000-mark in the national capital with the reporting of 310 fresh cases and active cases over crossed the 5,000-mark even as the Delhi government admitted that there could be errors in death toll but it blamed hospitals for not intimating it in a "timely and regular" manner.

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In what could be stretching the health infrastructure, the number of active cases rose to 5,031, including 981 in home isolation. Incidentally, the number of COVID-19 positive cases in home isolation suddenly dipped from 1,428 to 981.

May alone accounts for more than half of the cases -- 3,718 or 51.44% of total cases -- reported in the capital. The capital recorded its first case on March 2 while it had crossed the 6,000-mark on May 8.

On May 1, Delhi had reported 223 cases, which increased to 386 on May 2. The capital reported 427 cases on May 3, 349 cases on May 4, 206 on May 5, 428 on May 6, 448 on May 7, 338 on May 8, 224 or May 9 and 381 on May 10.

So far, Delhi has conducted tests on 97,678, including testing of 3,868 fresh samples.

No deaths were reported in the latest health bulletin with the toll remaining at 73 while 60 people were discharged on Sunday, taking the total number of recoveries to 2,129.

Amidst a mismatch between death toll in official health bulletin and those reported by hospitals, the Delhi government on Sunday issued fresh orders to hospitals to report deaths in hospitals in a timely manner.

The order had said that both public and private hospitals "are not reporting the deaths of positive cases of COVID-19 occurring in their hospitals in a timely and regular" manner despite repeated reminders.

It said death summaries of deceased patients are not being provided to Death Audit Committee, "resulting in incorrect/delayed reports" being submitted.

The order came after media highlighted that the death toll in bulletins and individual verification in hospitals showed a mismatch.

Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital authorities said they had reported 52 cases to the government while only 26 reflected in the bulletin, while Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan hospital reported 55 deaths while only five reflected in the official toll. The Delhi government, however, denied hiding of data.

According to the new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), hospitals will have to appoint a nodal for sending a daily report of deaths, including copies of death summary and medical files. Even if no death has happened, the nodal officer will have to submit a report on this.