At 11,486 new cases, Delhi sees marginal rise in Covid tally; positivity rate further drops to 16.36%

The number of patients hospitalised due to Covid-19, including the suspected cases of the disease, continues to decline. On Saturday, the number further dipped to 2,504, down from 2,656 on Friday.

After two straight days of drop in its single-day cases of coronavirus disease (Covid-19), Delhi's tally on Saturday witnessed a marginal rise with as many as 11,486 fresh infections, according to the health bulletin data. New fatalities also rose after 45 patients succumbed to the virus as opposed to 38 on Friday. The overall tally and death toll of the national capital now stand at 17,82,514 and 25,586, respectively.

As many as 70,226 RT-PCR and Rapid Antigen tests were conducted in Delhi on Saturday, January 22, 2022, according to health bulletin data. (Vipin Kumar/HT photo)

The case positivity rate of Delhi, however, improved significantly as it further dipped to 16.36%, the bulletin data showed. On Friday, the positivity was 18.04% and the day before, it was 21.48%.

Fresh recoveries continued to disappoint for the second day in a row as fewer number of patients recuperated from the virus. On Saturday, as many as 14,802 people recovered from Covid-19, down from 17,494 on Friday and 18,815 on Thursday. With this, the total number of recovered individuals has touched 16,98,335, according to the bulletin data.

What can be seen as a ray of hope is that the number of patients hospitalised due to Covid-19, including those who are suspected to have contracted the disease, has been seeing a downward trend for three days in a row. On Saturday, the number further dropped to 2,504, down from 2,656 on Friday, 2,698 on Thursday and 2,734 on Wednesday.

Another point to be noted in Saturday's figures is the significant jump in the number of tests conducted in 24 hours. As many as 70,226 RT-PCR and Rapid Antigen tests were carried out across the national capital on Saturday, up from 59,629 on Friday and 57,290 on Thursday.

The Delhi government on Thursday capped RT-PCR as well as Rapid Antigen test rates at both private laboratories and hospitals and also for home collection. The cost for RT-PCR tests at labs and hospitals was capped at ₹300, while for Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), it was slashed to ₹100. For samples collected from home, the RT-PCR test rates were reduced to ₹500.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Friday decided to continue the night and weekend curfew in Delhi till further orders.