Delhi records 400+ cases for three days in a row, tally crosses 9,000-mark

The number of those who have recovered from the infectious disease in Delhi rose to 3,926, leaving 5,278 active infections in the city, a health bulletin released by the government showed.

The number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in Delhi rose to 9,333 on Saturday with 438 infections recorded – the third consecutive day the fresh cases were over the 400-mark in the national capital – and with six more deaths taking the toll of 129.

An aerial view of Connaught Place during lockdown, in New Delhi. (Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)

The number of those who have recovered from the infectious disease in Delhi rose to 3,926, leaving 5,278 active infections in the city, a health bulletin released by the government showed.

The development came even as the government designated two more hospitals – Batra Hospital and Cygnus Orthocare Hospital – for treating Covid-19 patients and those suspected to have contracted the pathogen, taking the total number of dedicated Covid-19 hospitals to 13.

The number of containment zones in the national capital was 73, while the number of people who have been put in home quarantine was 1,983.

On the six deaths added to the official tally on Saturday a senior government official said: “All these deaths did not necessarily take place in the last 24 hours. There is a gap between occurrence of deaths and final report submitted by the Death Audit Committee. The toll recorded in the health bulletin reflects cases in which the primary cause of death is found to be Covid-19 by the committee.”

The committee goes through the case sheets, medical investigations, and the death summary of the deceased before classifying them as Covid-19 deaths. Till Saturday, the data showed, 130,845 individuals were tested for Covid-19 in Delhi and 2,571 were admitted in either hospitals, dedicated Covid Care Centres or quarantine centres.

On Friday, a report said that Delhi witnessed 443 “Covid funerals” – including both cremations and burials – since March 14, which included confirmed Covid-19 deaths and those suspected to have been infected.

On Saturday, a Delhi government official dismissed the suggestion that the number of deaths from Covid-19 could be higher than the official figure. The official said that following the Covid-19 protocol is mandatory for all funerals in the Capital pertaining to death of individuals from any respiratory ailment, kidney or heart ailment, or those with flu-like symptoms shown immediately before death, irrespective of Covid-19 tests.

In March, the Delhi government issued a standard operating protocol for Covid-19 funerals. “The health minister was of the opinion that why take a chance? So, the ambit of the protocol was expanded to cover deaths beyond confirmed cases of Covid-19,” a senior official in the health minister’s office said on condition of anonymity.

A senior official in the Delhi chief minister’s office said on condition of anonymity: “The Death Audit Committee follows the guidelines prescribed by the ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) . All hospitals have been mandated to submit their death summaries to the committee within 24 hours. Death Audit Committee is an independent body which examines each of these cases. Delhi Health Bulletin reflects the figures as declared by the Committee.”