Delhi Covid cases rising rapidly. Arvind Kejriwal explains why there is no need to panic

Omicron variant in Delhi: Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said the number of active Covid-19 cases have tripled in five days to 6,360 but the number of hospital beds occupied by Covid-19 patients has declined.

NEW DELHI: Covid-19 infections in Delhi are increasing rapidly but there is no need to panic because all the cases are mild and asymptomatic, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday after the city reported about 3,100 new Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, up from 2,716 cases reported a day earlier.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said the current active Covid-19 caseload is comparable to the 6,600 active Covid-19 cases reported on March 27, 2021. But back then, 1,150 oxygen beds and 145 ventilator beds were occupied as compared to the 246 beds occupied as on date (ANI)

Kejriwal also compared the current hospitalisation numbers with the figures during the second Covid wave to underscore the point.

“Covid-19 cases are increasing rapidly in Delhi, but there is no need to panic. Currently, the active cases in the city are 6,360. Today, 3,100 new cases are expected to be reported. But, the reason why I am saying there is no need to panic is because only 246 hospital beds were occupied yesterday. All cases are mild and asymptomatic,” he said while addressing a press briefing.

Kejriwal said that on March 27, 2021, Delhi reported about 6,600 active Covid-19 cases, which is similar to the current situation in the city.

These numbers underline global trends that the Omicron variant appears to be more transmissible but less virulent, and that the variant of concern (VOC) does not crowd hospitals like the Delta variant did.

The chief minister said even if people start needing hospital care, Delhi government is prepared with 37,000 oxygen beds.

Kejriwal also shared data to show how the cases have rapidly increased in the past five days, but the number of beds occupied in Delhi hospitals have declined.

“On December 29, Delhi had 2,191 active cases. The total hospitalisation cases were 262. Today, on January 2, we have 6,360 active cases and hospitalisations have decreased to 247, despite the increase in caseload. This shows that most cases are mild and asymptomatic. There is no need to panic,” he said.