After Mumbai, Delhi set to become second city with 50K plus Covid-19 cases

Delhi has been buffeted by a surge of Covid-19 cases in the past few weeks. The national capital is now on course to become the second city in the country after Mumbai with more than 50,000 Covid-19 cases.

Delhi recorded its highest single-day spike of 2,877 Covid-19 cases to the tally close to 50,000, the Delhi health department said.

A family member looks towards the body of a relative who died due to coronavirus while waiting for their cremation at Nigambodh Ghat crematorium, in New Delhi.(Biplov Bhuyan/HT PHOTO)

The total number of cases in the national capital now stands at 49,979.

There were 65 casualties on Thursday that pushed the death toll to 1,969.

A total of 3,884 people were declared cured on Thursday, taking the total recoveries to 21,341. Delhi now has 26,669 active cases of Covid-19.

Delhi has been buffeted by a surge of Covid-19 cases in the past few weeks. The national capital is now on course to become the second city in the country after Mumbai with more than 50,000 Covid-19 cases.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain, who is being treated in a hospital for Covid-19, showed some improvement on Thursday but his fever has not yet subsided, senior officials said.

The 55-year-old minister is getting oxygen support on and off as per requirement, PTI reported

Jain had tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday, a day after he was admitted to Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital (RGSSH) after running high fever and suffering sudden drop in oxygen levels.

Sources in Delhi government on Wednesday said contact tracing of people who interacted with him in the last couple of days has started, and they will be quarantined as per the advice of doctors.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Disaster management Authority (DDMA) on Thursday fixed rates of Covid-19 RT-PCR test in Delhi at Rs 2,400 per test inclusive of GST with immediate effect.

On Wednesday, a high-level committee formed on Sunday after Union home minister Amit Shah’s meeting with Union health minister Harsh Vardhan, Delhi chief minister Arvinf Kejriwal and Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal to look into testing rates in Delhi had decided to fix the price at Rs 2,400 and forwarded the suggestions to the Delhi government.