Corona numbers on the decline in Delhi, lockdown was successful: Arvind Kejriwal

“Corona cases are going down in Delhi, so is the second wave. With your cooperation lockdown was successful,” Arvind Kejriwal said during his live broadcast.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Tuesday that Covid-19 cases are on the decline in the national capital. Adding that the ongoing Covid-induced lockdown in the national capital has been successful as people cooperated with authorities.

The Aam Aadmi Party chief also said that the Delhi government has increased the number of hospital beds with oxygen facilities in the past few days. (ANI Photo)

“Corona cases are going down in Delhi, so is the second wave. With your cooperation lockdown was successful,” Kejriwal said during his live broadcast.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief also said that the Delhi government has increased the number of hospital beds with oxygen facilities in the past few days, with 500 new beds added in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) near Guru Tegh Bahadur (GBT) Hospital, a dedicated Covid hospital in Delhi. Another 500 beds with ICU facility are scheduled to come up near Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital.

“We've increased the number of Oxygen beds in the past few days. Yesterday we started 500 new ICU beds near GTB Hospital,” said the chief minister, adding, “Now there's no shortage of ICU and Oxygen beds in Delhi.”

Kejriwal told reporters on Monday that he was hopeful of cases dwindling down as the peak of the second coronavirus wave passes.

"I hope the peak (of the second wave of Covid-19) has passed. I hope the cases go down in the coming days but being in the government and as the chief minister of Delhi, I would not want to give any concessions," he said.

Lockdown in Delhi was extended till May 17 by the AAP-led government. Enforcing strict measures like suspension of Metro train services and prohibition of wedding ceremonies at public venues.

Delhi health minister Satyendra Jain reiterated Kejriwal’s statement on Covid-19 cases declining as both positivity rate and caseload is on the decline. Jain added that until the positivity rate goes down below 5% and caseload dwindles down to 3,000-4,000 daily the government won’t be at ease. The World Health Organization has set a benchmark of 5% positivity rate for an outbreak to be considered under control. The national capital’s positivity rate peaked at 36.2% on April 22, staying above 30% for 8 more days before starting to decline.

“In the last few days, the positivity rate has declined from 36% to 19.1% with the caseload also going down from 28,000 per day to about 12,500. Till we reach a positivity rate below 5% and caseload below 3000-4000 cases, we can't be at ease,” Jain said.