Delhi logs 409 fresh Covid-19 cases, highest in over 2 months; tally at 642,439

The last time the national capital registered over 400 cases was on January 3 when there were 424 infections in a single day, according to the health department.

Delhi on Thursday added more than 400 new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the last 24 hours, the highest in more than two months, the health department’s bulletin showed. The last time the national capital registered over 400 cases was on January 3 when there were 424 infections in a single day, according to the health department. The fresh Covid-19 cases in Delhi are also up by 39 from Wednesday when 370 people were detected to be positive—the highest in nearly two months.

Medical workers get ready to take swab samples of passengers arriving from other cities for a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) Covid-19 test in Delhi. (AFP file photo)

The 409 fresh Covid-19 cases and three more fatalities have pushed the Capital’s caseload and death toll to 642,439 and 10,934 respectively. The health department’s data also showed as many as 286 people were discharged in the last 24 hours, which took the recoveries in the national capital to 629,485. The number of active cases has now climbed to 2020, the bulletin showed. A total of 69,810 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours which included 42,187 RTPCR/CBNAAT/TrueNat tests and the remaining 27,623 were rapid antigen tests. More than 1,000 people continue to remain under home isolation while the containment zones are at 592.

Cases have been on the rise in Delhi since the latter part of February—200 fresh Covid-19 cases were recorded on February 24. The initial days of February witnessed a respite as the daily cases of the coronavirus disease went above the 100-mark but stayed below the 200-mark. There were no deaths reported on four days of last month on 9, 13, 17, 25 and just 94 cases were seen on February 16, which had been the lowest in more than nine months.

Amid the recent surge in cases in states such as Maharashtra, Punjab, Gujarat etc, Delhi also has seen the overall Covid-19 situation worsening. In March alone, the daily cases have breached the 300-mark thrice—March 9 (320 cases), March 6 (321 cases) and March 5 (312 cases). According to news agency PTI, health experts and doctors have attributed the sudden spike in cases in Delhi to residents not following Covid-appropriate behaviour and assuming that all is well now.

The Union ministry of health and family welfare pointed out on Thursday that Delhi is witnessing an upward trend in the number of daily cases. However, health minister Satyendar Jain had said on Monday that the outbreak was in its ‘endemic phase’ in Delhi but added that it would not end completely and people have to learn to live with it.