Every 4th sample in Delhi Covid positive, Capital adds 24,375 new cases in 24 hours

The death toll in the national capital is nearing 12,000 while recoveries and active cases have climbed to 746,239 and 69,799, respectively, the health department's bulletin said.

Delhi on Saturday reported the highest single-day spike in its daily coronavirus disease (Covid-19) tally with 24,375 new Covid cases in the last 24 hours, taking the caseload to nearly 828,000, according to the health department’s bulletin. More than 15,400 patients recovered and 167 succumbed to the disease during the same period, the bulletin showed. The death toll in the national capital is nearing 12,000 while recoveries and active cases have climbed to 746,239 and 69,799, respectively, it added.

The bulletin also showed 99,230 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours of which 30,024 are rapid antigen tests and the remaining 69,206 are RT-PCR/CBNAAT/TrueNat tests. (HT Photo)

The positivity rate in Delhi is at 24.56 per cent, the highest since the beginning of the pandemic last year. The current positivity rate shows that every fourth sample collected in Delhi is testing positive for the disease.

The bulletin also showed 99,230 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours of which 30,024 are rapid antigen tests and the remaining 69,206 are RT-PCR/CBNAAT/TrueNat tests. The containment zones have climbed to 11,235 and 32,156 patients continue to remain under home isolation.

As cases have been massively spiking in the capital, Delhi, like many other states in India, is facing a shortage of beds, oxygen supply and the anti-viral drug Remdesivir.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government in Delhi is working towards increasing the number of beds and said the main aim is to create more beds for those patients who are severely infected with the disease. Kejriwal added that he spoke to Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan and asked for more Covid-19 beds, medical oxygen and Remdesivir.

The Delhi CM also said during the briefing the government is closely monitoring the overall Covid situation and if it worsens, then it will take whatever step is required to save the lives of people. The national Capital is placed under night curfew restrictions from 10pm to 5am which will continue till April 30. A weekend curfew has also been imposed which started from April 16, 10pm till April 19, 5am.