Delhi reports 26,169 new Covid-19 cases as tally tops 950,000, positivity rate at record 36%

A total of 851,537 people have recovered so far from the Covid-19 disease in Delhi while the active cases are over 91,100, the bulletin showed.

The national capital on Thursday added 26,169 new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases and 306 more deaths, taking the caseload and death toll to 956,348 and 13,193 respectively, according to the health department's bulletin. A total of 851,537 people have recovered so far while the active cases are over 91,100, the bulletin showed.

A digital public information board notifies total occupancy of Covid-19 dedicated beds at LNJP Hospital, in New Delhi. (Ajay Aggarwal / HT Photo)

The Covid-19 positivity rate in Delhi is currently at a record 36 per cent. More than 72,200 tests were conducted on Thursday of which 23,862 are rapid antigen while the remaining 48,346 are RT-PCR/CBNAAT/TrueNaat tests, the bulletin added. The containment zones in Delhi have reached 22,000 while 46,585 patients continue to remain under home isolation.

As several hospitals in national capital have been reported a severe shortage of oxygen supplies from the past few days, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said on Thursday it will become difficult to save lives. Addressing a press conference, Sisodia pointed out that some hospitals have already run out of oxygen to treat the infected patients.

He held Haryana and Uttar Pradesh responsible for the shortage of oxygen supplies in Delhi.

“Major reason behind Delhi’s oxygen crisis is ‘jungle raj’ for oxygen by Haryana-UP. Their governments, officers and police aren’t letting supply from their oxygen plants come to Delhi. Our officers spoke to them, I tried to speak to GoI but things aren’t changing on ground,” the deputy CM said.

Later, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal spoke to his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar regarding this issue. Taking it to Twitter, Kejriwal said Khattar has assured him of full support to facilitate the transport of oxygen tanks from Haryana to Delhi.

Meanwhile, 53,673 beneficiaries were administered vaccine doses on Thursday and the cumulative beneficiaries vaccinated so far has climbed to 2,776,631. The Delhi government is all set to inoculate residents above the age of 18 under the next phase of the nationwide vaccination drive which will begin from May 1.