Delhi Sees 1,017 Covid Cases, Positivity Rate Soars To 32.25%

Delhi on Monday logged 1,017 Covid-19 cases, while the positivity rate jumped to 32.25 per cent, the highest in 15 months, according to data shared by the city government's health department. The capital had recorded a positivity rate of 30.6 per cent on January 14 last year.

With the new cases, Delhi's Covid-19 tally climbed to 20,24,244. Four fresh fatalities pushed the death toll to 26,567, the health department bulletin stated. Of the latest fatalities, Covid-19 was the primary cause of death in two cases, it stated.

According to the bulletin, the fresh cases emerged out of 3,153 tests conducted the previous day. Delhi on Sunday logged 1,634 Covid-19 cases with a positivity rate of 29.68 per cent and three deaths. On Saturday, the city had recorded 1,396 cases with a positivity rate of 31.9 per cent.

Delhi reported 1,527 cases with a positivity rate of 27.77 per cent and two deaths on Thursday. The national capital's daily tally of Covid-19 cases crossed 1,000 for the first time in more than seven months on Wednesday, while the positivity rate stood at 23.8 per cent.

Delhi had recorded 1,964 cases on August 18 last year. The number of Covid-19 cases had dropped to zero on January 16 for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic. However, the city has witnessed a spurt in cases over the last fortnight.

The health department bulletin on Monday said 325 of 7,954 beds in Delhi's dedicated Covid-19 hospitals are occupied, while 3,643 patients are in home isolation. The number of active cases currently stands at 4,976, it said. Mock drills were conducted at Delhi hospitals on April 11 to ascertain their preparedness to tackle Covid-19.

Medical experts have said Omicron sub-variant XBB.1.16 could be driving the surge in cases in the city. However, they have maintained that there is no need to panic and people should follow Covid-appropriate behaviour and get their booster shots. Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj had said last week that XBB.1.16 is not leading to severe infection among children.