Delhi’s daily Covid-19 cases fall to 10,489; positivity rate below 15%

The death toll rose to 20,618 after 308 people succumbed to the disease on Thursday while 15,189 more discharges took the total recoveries to 1,274,140, the health department's bulletin showed.

Delhi on Thursday witnessed a sharp fall in its daily tally of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) after 10,489 new cases were reported, taking the caseload to 1,372,475, according to the health department's bulletin. The death toll rose to 20,618 after 308 people succumbed to the disease on Thursday while 15,189 more discharges took the total recoveries to 1,274,140, the bulletin showed.

A total number of 73,675 tests were conducted on Thursday of which 14,966 are rapid antigen tests while the remaining 58,709 are RT-PCR/CBNAAT/TrueNat tests, the bulletin added. (HT_PRINT)

On Wednesday, 13,287 new cases were reported while on Tuesday 12,481 patients tested positive for the Covid-19 disease.

The active cases in the national capital have declined to 77,717 and the positivity rate dropped below 15 per cent (14.24 per cent to be exact), the lowest since April 14. Since last week, the positivity rate has been declining in Delhi. The major reason for this decline is the imposition of complete lockdown which has also led to a decrease in the number of new cases. Currently, the lockdown is in force till May 17.

A total number of 73,675 tests were conducted on Thursday of which 14,966 are rapid antigen tests while the remaining 58,709 are RT-PCR/CBNAAT/TrueNat tests, the bulletin added. The numbers of containment zones in Delhi are nearing 58,000 whereas 48,340 patients continue to remain in home isolation.

Delhi’s daily requirement of medical oxygen dropped to 582 metric tonnes from 700 MT earlier, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said on Thursday and asked the Centre to allot the surplus supplies to other states that are in need of the live saving gas. He added at present the oxygen situation in Delhi has improved and more beds are available for the infected patients.

However, in April, the health infrastructure of Delhi was stretched to the limit as hospitals as the number of Covid-19 cases rose at a fast pace. The Delhi government had the urged the Centre to increase its daily quota of oxygen and also sought help from other states.

Meanwhile, more than 4,222,308 beneficiaries have been vaccinated against the Covid-19 disease in Delhi till now. Amid an acute shortage of doses, the Aam Aadmi Party-led government temporarily closed 100 vaccination centres across Delhi meant for beneficiaries between 18-44 years due to lack of Covaxin doses which are produced by Bharat Biotech.

Deputy CM Sisodia on Wednesday cited a letter from Bharat Biotech which stated it will not be available to provide vaccine doses to Delhi due to unavailability, under the orders of government officials. Sisodia said this meant that the Centre is controlling the supply of doses meant for states. He accused the Centre of mismanaging the vaccination process and said the export of 65 million doses to foreign nations was the biggest mistake.