More than 3,000 cases of Covid have been recorded in Delhi in the past one week, while the tally of active cases has increased by over 121 per cent in the same period, according to official data.
The national capital logged 606 cases on Thursday, the highest in over seven months, with a positivity rate of 16.98 per cent. The city had recorded 620 cases on August 26.
According to data shared by the Delhi government's health department, the active cases tally on Thursday stood at 2,060, a jump of over 121 per cent since March 30 when the corresponding figure was 932. In the March 30-April 6 period, six fatalities have been recorded, including two deaths on April 3.
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According to health department bulletins shared over these days, "Covid finding was incidental" in all the cases. The positivity rate too has seen a rise in the past one week. On April 5, the city logged a positivity rate of 26.54 per cent, the highest in nearly 15 months, with 509 people testing positive in a single day. In January last year, the positivity rate had touched the 30-per cent mark.
Delhi has witnessed a spurt in the number of fresh Covid infections over the last few days amid a sharp rise in H3N2 influenza cases in the country. The city saw 295 cases on March 30 and zero fatality. The positivity rate stood at 12.48 per cent then.
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As on Thursday, the city's Covid death toll stood at 26,534, while its case tally had risen to 20,12,670. The data showed that 3,569 Covid tests were conducted on Wednesday. After March 30, the daily cases count increased to 416 on April 1 and 429 on April 2. The city saw 521 cases on April 4 and 509 on April 5.
The total number of cases logged in the Match 30-April 6 period stands at 3,069. The Delhi government has maintained that it is keeping an eye on the spurt in Covid cases and is "prepared to face any eventuality". Addressing reporters after chairing a review meeting on the Covid situation, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal last week had said there was no need to worry for now and that the city government was taking all required steps.
The number of fresh cases had dropped to zero on January 16, the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic. The rise in cases is being reported since the past couple of weeks. Nearly 120 of the 7,989 beds in dedicated Covid hospitals in the city are occupied while 1,337 patients are in home isolation, the health department said on Thursday.
Amid a gradual increase in the number of Covid cases in Delhi, medical experts say the new XBB.1.16 variant of the virus could be driving the surge. However, they maintained that there is no need to panic and people should follow Covid-appropriate behaviour and get booster shots of the vaccines. They also said this rise in the number of cases could be the result of more people getting themselves tested for Covid as a precaution when they actually get infected with the influenza virus and develop fever and related symptoms.
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The Indian Council of Medical Research has said the rise in the number of influenza cases is due to the Influenza A sub-type H3N2. The H3N2 virus is leading to more hospitalisation than the other subtypes. The symptoms include a runny nose, persistent cough and fever.
