Active cases in Delhi below 5,000 mark, first since May last year

The total number of active cases or those with current coronavirus disease (Covid-19) infections in the city has dropped below the 5,000 mark for the first time

The total number of active cases or those with current coronavirus disease (Covid-19) infections in the city has dropped below the 5,000 mark for the first time since May 10 when there were 4,781 active cases in Delhi. On Monday, there were 4,689 active cases as per the daily health bulletin released by the government.

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With fewer than usual tests, Delhi reported 384 new cases of the infection on Sunday, as reported a day later in Monday’s bulletin. The city has been conducting fewer than 80,000 tests for three days in a row – on New Year’s Day and over the weekend.

On Sunday, the city had conducted just 50,288 tests in comparison to 75,067 tests conducted each day on average for the last seven days and 78,668 on average the week before that. Over 60% of the tests were conducted using the more accurate RT PCR method, which has happened for the first time since the alternate rapid antigen tests were introduced in mid-June.

The positivity rate – proportion of samples that return positive among the total tested – remained at 0.76% on Sunday, making it the eighth day the positivity rate has remained below 1%. Experts believe that the spread of the infection is under control if a positivity rate of 5% or less is maintained for at least two weeks. Delhi’s positivity rate has remained below 5% for over a month now.

The city, however, reported 12 deaths due to the infection. With fewer cases, the seven-day rolling average case fatality ratio (CFR) – proportion of deaths among those who test positive – remained above 3% the eighth day in a row as well. On Monday, Delhi’s seven-day average CFR stood at 3.27%.

The cumulative CFR – calculated on the basis of the total number of cases and deaths – stood at 1.69%. In comparison, India’s cumulative CFR stands at around 1.44%.

“These are our corona warriors who endangered their lives day and night to save others. The Delhi government salutes their spirit,” said Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain in a video on the work done by Delhi’s biggest Covid-19 treatment facility – 2,000 bed Lok Nayak hospital.