Delhi adds 2,258 new cases of Covid-19
Delhi reported 2,258 new cases of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) on Friday, according to the daily health bulletin, down from the average 3,025 cases reported each day during the seven preceding days. This could be because of fewer tests conducted on Gandhi Jayanti, when only 39,306 samples were tested as compared to average of over 53,000 samples tested every day.
The fewer tests meant a slight increase in the positivity rate, which still remained below 6%, at 5.74% as on Saturday. This was 5.19% the day before. The transmission of the disease is thought to be in control if a positivity rate of less than 5% is maintained over two weeks.
Delhi also reported 34 more deaths due to the viral infection, taking the total toll to 5,472, the data shows. The cumulative case fatality ratio (CFR) – fraction of deaths among total cases reported – stands at 1.9%, slightly higher than the national average of 1.57%.
The number of people hospitalized with the infection has also declined over the last ten days, dipping below 6,000 for the first time since a surge in cases in the second week of September. As on Saturday, 5,989 people were admitted to hospitals across the city with Covid-19. At its peak, the number of hospitalisations had been just over 7,000.
“The availability of beds – especially ICU beds – has improved in the city over the last seven to eight days with the number of hospitalisations reducing by around 1,000. The situation is much better right now,” Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain said.
The number of active cases or those with current infections has also come down to just over 25,000 for the first time since September second week. At its peak, there were over 32,000 active cases in Delhi.