1,600 new Covid-19 cases in Delhi, positivity rate below 2.5%: CM Arvind Kejriwal

On April 20, Delhi saw a record 28,395 new Covid-19 cases, while the positivity rate peaked at 36.24% on April 23.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday that the national capital recorded 1,600 new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the last 24 hours, as he announced that the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown in the city is being extended by one more week till May 31.

COVID-19 patients undergo treatment at DRDO's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Covid Hospital, in New Delhi (PTI)

“There was a day in April, when more than 28,000 new Covid-19 cases were recorded in Delhi. In the last 24 hours, however, 1,600 people were found positive,” Kejriwal said. On April 20, the national capital’s infection tally increased by 28,395 fresh cases, according to that day’s health department bulletin. The bulletin also reported 277 additional fatalities related to the viral disease.

In fact, the 28,395 cases on April 20 is the highest Delhi has seen in a single-day since the beginning of the pandemic.

The chief minister further said, “In April, the positivity rate was recorded at 36%, that is, out of 100 people tested for Covid-19, 36 were returning a positive result. If I talk about the positivity rate from the last 24 hours, it is now below even 2.5%."

On April 23, Delhi saw its positivity rate peak at 36.24%, as 26,169 samples tested positive out of 72,208 tested for the coronavirus disease.

Over the last few days, the city has seen a continuous decline in its daily cases, as well as in its positivity rate. The number of fresh infections has been below 10,000 for several days; on May 13, there were 10,489 new cases, with a positivity rate of 14.24%.

In a bid to break the chain of transmission, CM Kejriwal announced on April 19 that a complete lockdown will come into force at 10pm on the day, and will end at 5am on April 26. Since then, the lockdown has been extended five times, including on Sunday. Kejriwal also said that if cases continue to decrease, Delhi would begin “unlocking” from May 31.