Covid-19: Delhi records 1,246 fresh cases, lowest in last 35 days; LNJP to have city's second plasma bank

The national capital on Monday recorded 1,246 fresh coronavirus cases, authorities said, the lowest in the last 35 days.

In another positive trend, the first 12 days of July have largely reported more cases of people recovering daily from the coronavirus than the fresh ones added to Delhi's Covid-19 count, according to the city government data. The recovery rate stands at over 80 per cent

It was also for the third consecutive day that figures of fresh cases remained below 2,000 in Delhi. On June 11, the number of new cases was 1,781 which dropped to 1,573 and 1,246 in the next two days.

With forty fresh fatalities, the death toll reached 3,411. The total number of coronavirus cases stands at 1,13,740, a health bulletin from Delhi government said.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will inaugurate on Tuesday a plasma bank at the government-run LNJP Hospital, the second hospital in the national capital after the ILBS to start the facility for Covid patients, a senior official said.

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The hospital has hired three expert counsellors who will encourage patients to donate plasma and tell them it is a safe process, according to the official.

These counsellors will call up patients, who have recovered from coronavirus, and explain to them about the therapy, he said.

"We already have a database of patients in our hospital and these counsellors will be calling them," the official said. "However, patients who have recovered after treatment from other hospitals can also come and donate plasma to the bank."

Sources said there would be a separate entry for those coming to donate plasma.

According to the health bulletin, 93,312 people have recovered from the infection so far, while the active cases stand at 19,017. The recovery rate stands at over 80 per cent.

However, only 12,171 tests were (RTPCR- 3,860 and 8,311 – Rapid Antigen tests) conducted, the lowest in the last 13 days. Incidentally, the June 6 (Monday) bulletin also stated 13,879 tests were conducted on that day. On other days, the daily tests have been in the range of 19,000 to 24,000.

Of the 15,253 beds in hospitals, 10,944 are vacant; of the 9,217 beds in the dedicated Covid care centre, 7,069 beds are vacant.

The containment zones in the national capital stand at 658.

From July 1-13, the city recorded 26,380 cases, while 32,984 people recovered.

Barring July 1 and July 6, all days of this month recorded more recoveries than fresh cases.

The recoveries from July 1-13 too have seen a sharp rise– six days saw recoveries in the range of 2,000, three days in the range of 3,000 while one day (July 9) saw over 4,000 recoveries.

Last week, a Delhi government study said there has been a "sharp decline" in daily fatality figures in the past two weeks.

On Sunday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said Delhi has been able to minimise deaths of coronavirus patients in home isolation through pulse oximeters, which he termed as "suraksha kavach'' (protective shield).

Meanwhile, a group of nurses working in the Covid-19 ward of Hakeem Abdul Hameed Centenary Hospital here protested against its management, alleging their contracts were terminated for "demanding basic facilities".

The hospital authorities, however, said the non-renewal of the contracts "is not linked to their demands".

The 84 nurses, whose services have been terminated, protested on the hospital premises on Monday and also wrote to Union Health Minister Harshvardhan, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, seeking their intervention in the matter.