Covid-19: Delhi records 3.58% positivity rate, lowest cases since March 31

With 2,269 new cases of Covid-19, Delhi reported the lowest daily incidence of the viral infection in 52 days on Saturday, and the positivity rate – the proportion of samples that return positive – dropped to 3

With 2,269 new cases of Covid-19, Delhi reported the lowest daily incidence of the viral infection in 52 days on Saturday, and the positivity rate – the proportion of samples that return positive – dropped to 3.58%, a figure, experts said, showed the fourth wave was gradually coming under control in the national capital.

Delhi Police personnel guards Vijay Chowk near Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi, India, on Saturday, May 22, 2021. (Photo by Arvind Yadav/ Hindustan Times)

The Capital has been under a lockdown for a month; the “last resort” step was taken after a massive surge in infections overwhelmed the health care infrastructure and resulted in shortages of essential supplies such as medical oxygen and life-saving drugs.

In April, Delhi reported its worst surge of Covid-19, with the number of cases recorded in a single day shooting up to over 28,000 and the positivity rate to 36%, meaning more than one in three people tested were found to have the infection. It has now reduced to around one in 33 tested people having the infection.

Dr Jacob John, former head of the department of virology at Christian Medical College-Vellore, said the government should now focus on vaccinating a significant proportion of the population to prevent a third wave.

“Some curbs have to remain – malls, gyms, cinemas, weddings any place where people gather. With a large number of people exposed to the infection, there might not be a surge for the next few months... this time needs to be utilised to vaccinate a significant proportion of the people,” said Dr Amit Singh, associate professor, Centre for Infectious Disease Research, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.

He added: “In the absence of vaccines, the government also needs to see whether it is prepared with beds and oxygen needed in case there is a surge again.”

On Saturday, Delhi reported 182 deaths due to the viral infection, dipping below the 200 mark for the first time in 34 days. However, with fewer cases and a high number of deaths still being reported, the seven day rolling average case fatality ratio (CFR) – proportion of deaths among those who test positive – has shot up to 6.15%. The cumulative CFR – based on the total number of cases and deaths reported so far – is at 1.63%, higher than the national average of 1.1%.

As per the latest health bulletin, the new fatalities pushed the death toll due to Covid-19 in the national capital to 23,013. The number of daily cases in the city was 2,260, Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain said on Twitter, adding: “These are lowest numbers after 31 March. Still need to take all precautions and follow Covid appropriate behaviour.”