1,075 new cases push Delhi’s Covid tally past 1.3 lakh, but 1,807 recoveries tell another story

At present, there are 11,904 active cases in Delhi, down from 12,657 cases a day before. Out of these, 6,976 patients have been kept in home isolation.

Delhi posted 1,075 new Covid 19 cases on Sunday to take the total number of coronavirus virus cases recorded so far in the capital past the 1.3 lakh mark but this is unlikely to cause any worries since 1,807 recoveries, logged in the same period, means the number of currently infected people in the city-state has actually come down to 11,904.

People attempt to pluck 'jamun' from at tree in the lawns near India Gate, during Unlock 2.0, in New Delhi, Monday, July 13, 2020. (PTI)

The active cases in Delhi stood at 12,657 aday before and Sunday’s figure marks the continuance of a healthy trend signifying the efficacy of ramped-up containment efforts over the past month or so. Delhi’s recovery rate for coronavirus patients is hovering around an enviable 90% mark with 1,14,875 people having been cured or discharged, the health bulletin released by the government stated.

The bulletin added that 21 deaths were registered over the last 24 hour period, taking the total casualties caused by the infection to 3,827 on Sunday. 6,976 active patients have been kept in home isolation in the capital, while over 3,000 people who arrived here on Vande Bharat Mission and bubble flights have been accommodated in dedicated Covid care centres.

In contrast with the number of tests conducted over the week, fewer tests were conducted on Sunday with 5,032 RTPCR/CBNAAT/TrueNat tests and 12,501 rapid antigen tests being carried out on the day. Delhi is only a fraction short of completing a million tests with the current figure of 9,46,777 accomplished tests.

Delhi recorded its first coronavirus case on March 2 this year, over a month after India recorded its first case on January 30 in Kerala.

Ten new areas have been added to Delhi’s containment zones on Sunday, pushing the count of restricted areas to 714.

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who had claimed last week that Delhi has turned a corner in its fight against the virus, again took to Twitter on Sunday to say that the occupancy of designated hospital beds for Covid-19 has come down sharply in the national capital over the last one month.

“Corona bed occupancy has come down sharply from 23 June to 26 July. Much lesser no of people are now falling ill. Most of those falling ill are getting treated at home. Therefore, v(ery) few people are now needing hospitalization,” Kejriwal tweeted on Sunday, attaching screenshots of Delhi Corona app.

The chief minister, on overcoming the first wave of coronavirus infections, had said that “in a sense we can say that we have overcome the difficult situation that we saw in the month of June but, we must be prepared if this reoccurs.”
“In 1918, the Spanish Flu had seen three peaks and the second peak was much worse than the first one,” Kejriwal had told Hindustan Times.