Weekday cases in Capital fall below 3,000 after Sept 5

With more deaths due to the viral infection being reported for the past two weeks, the seven-day average case fatality ratio (CFR) — the fraction of people who died among those diagnosed with the infection – increased to 1.37% from 0.76%.

The number of new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases reported in the Capital in a day dipped below 3,000 for the first time since the first week of September, barring weekends — when fewer tests are conducted. Friday’s health bulletin added 2,920 new cases of the viral infection in the city.

A health worker conducts rapid-antigen methodology Covid-19 tests at Sarai Kale Khan Transport Authority in New Delhi, India, on Monday. (Bloomberg)

To be sure, there has been a declining trend in new cases since September 26.

So far, over 280,000 people in the city have been infected with Covid-19, and 5,438 have died. Of these, 37 deaths were reported on Friday.

With more deaths due to the viral infection being reported for the past two weeks, the seven-day average case fatality ratio (CFR) — the fraction of people who died among those diagnosed with the infection – increased to 1.37% from 0.76%.

The cumulative CFR – calculated on the basis of total number of cases and deaths reported from the city – is on the decline, however.

It stood at 1.9% as on Friday, slightly higher than the national average of 1.6%. It was 2.5% in early September.

“We do not know the reason there are fewer deaths in India. It could be because we are now giving several experimental therapies to our patients and have standardised the treatment protocol. It could be that we have a younger population that is less likely to die of the infection. Or it could be that the virus has mutated and is causing more infections but fewer deaths. Most patients we are getting right now are not very severe; they need oxygen support but not even non-invasive ventilation,” said Dr Neeraj Gupta, professor in the department of pulmonary medicine at Safdarjung hospital.

The number of hospitalisations has gone down across the city over the past few days, and fell to 6,071 as on Thursday, accounting for 22.9% of the active cases. The number of hospitalizations had gone up to just over 7,000 prompting the government to add more ICU beds in its hospitals and direct 33 big private hospitals to reserve 80% of their total ICU beds for Covid-19 treatment. The order has been challenged in the Delhi high court.

As on Friday evening, 63.7% of the intensive care unit beds in the city’s hospitals were occupied, according to the Delhi Corona App.