Delhi sees 4,998 new Covid-19 cases from record 69K tests

The Covid-19 positivity rate in Delhi dropped to 7.24 per cent on Saturday, the lowest since October 23, as authorities detected 4,998 fresh Covid-19 cases from a record 69,051 tests.

Eighty-nine more fatalities pushed the city's death toll to 8,998.

"Since 7 Nov, cases and positivity in Delhi are going down. Today, less than 5000 cases, 89 deaths and 7.24 positivity. Hope this trend continues. Delhiites and Delhi govt together will win over this third wave also. Pl continue to observe all precautions," Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted.

On October 23, Delhi recorded a positivity rate of 6.98 per cent. It was 8.51 per cent on Friday, 8.65 per cent on Thursday and 8.49 per cent on Wednesday.

A record 69,051 tests, including 33,147 RT-PCR ones -- the highest till date -- and 35,904 rapid antigen tests, were conducted the previous day for the detection of Covid-19, according to a bulletin by the Delhi health department on Saturday.

As many as 64,455 tests were conducted on Thursday.

The city had recorded its highest single-day spike of 8,593 cases on November 11.

As many as 131 Covid-related deaths were recorded on November 18, the highest till date.

According to the bulletin, the total number of coronavirus cases climbed to 5,61,742 on Saturday, of which 516166 have recovered. The tally of active cases in Delhi was 36578 down from 38181 on Friday.

CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE ONLY ON DH

Delhi recorded 6,746 cases on Sunday, 4,454 on Monday, 6,224 on Tuesday, 5,246 on Wednesday and 5,475 on Thursday and 5,482 on Friday.

The number of Covid-19 containment zones in Delhi rose to 5331 on Saturday from 5229 on Friday.

Of the total number of 18,389 beds in Covid-19 hospitals, 9,739 are vacant, according to official data.

Health Minister Satyendar Jain said Delhi has sufficient infrastructure and equipment to vaccinate its entire population in a few weeks once a Covid-19 vaccine is available.

"There is no need to worry about storage of vaccines. We have a large number of health care facilities, such as mohalla clinics, polyclinics, and hospitals etc., where a Covid-19 vaccine can be administered to people," Jain told reporters.

"Once a vaccine is available, we can vaccinate the entire population of Delhi in a few weeks," the minister said.

Jain also said that Delhi should be given priority during the distribution of the vaccine as it is the national capital.

A three-storeyed building on the premises of Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital has also been identified for the storage of Covid-19 vaccines.

Jain said that more than 50 per cent of the beds reserved for coronavirus patients in Delhi are unoccupied.

"More than 1,200 ICU beds and around 9,500 normal ones are unoccupied at present. Overall, more than 50 per cent beds are available. So, we are in a slightly better situation," he told reporters.

The minister said there were some problems related to oxygen supply in Delhi on Friday which have been resolved.