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Delhi’s Covid-19 cases cross 4k for first time but drop in positivity rate
With 4,093 new infections on Wednesday — the highest single-day spike ever recorded in the city, the total number of cases in the city also crossed the 200,000-mark.
On Wednesday, Delhi tested over 54,000 samples for Covid-19, setting a new record for the highest number of tests in a single day in the national capital, as chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on the day sought suggestions from state government hospitals on increasing the number of beds, especially in intensive care units.
With 4,093 new infections on Wednesday — the highest single-day spike ever recorded in the city, the total number of cases in the city also crossed the 200,000-mark.
In Wednesday’s meeting with state health officials, Kejriwal also took stock of the city’s testing strategy, after which the state health department issued an order that removed the need for a prescription to get tested for Covid-19. He urged all government officers, doctors and health care workers to encourage as many people as possible to get tested. 
As per Wednesday’s daily health bulletin, 54,517 samples were tested for Covid-19. Of these, 11,101 tests were conducted using the RT-PCR method — a record number for tests that are considered ‘gold standard’ for Covid-19.
“If any hospital is experiencing any issues, they can directly reach me and I will extend all possible help in this regard,” Kejriwal told medical superintendents of Delhi government hospitals during the meeting, according to an official familiar with the matter.
He directed all medical superintendents to further improve facilities in government hospitals. “Increasing the number of beds in hospitals was also discussed. But, it was concluded that there was no immediate need to augment the number of dedicated Covid beds in Delhi since over 8,500 beds were vacant as on Wednesday. To be sure, the chief minister has asked all medical superintendents to suggest ways in which beds can be increased — with a focus on ICU and ventilator beds,” a senior government official, who asked not to be named, said on condition of anonymity.
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Of the 14,212 Covid hospital beds in the city as on Wednesday evening according to the Delhi Corona app, over 8,500 were vacant on Wednesday. However, over half the Covid-19 ICU beds in the city were occupied.
After the meeting, special secretary (health) Udit Prakash Rai issued an order simplifying testing in the Capital, and encouraging more people to get tested.
“In continuation of various measures undertaken by the Delhi government to augment Covid-19 testing and to ensure that it is more accessible than ever, it has been decided that henceforth there will be no requirement of a prescription from a qualified medical practitioner for Covid-19 testing in Delhi,” the order read.
Cases in Delhi rose rapidly through May and June, and started dropping by the end of June. After a steady drop in cases for around three weeks (the seven-day average of daily cases dropped to 983 as on August 4), new cases hit an upward trajectory mid-August. As on Wednesday, there are 201,174 cases in the city. Delhi had, as on Wednesday, recorded an average 3,086 cases a day over the past seven days.
Kejriwal on Wednesday also directed heads of all private labs in Delhi against denying anybody a Covid-19 test. He also directed ambulance services that no calls from patients be refused and that patients be transferred to hospitals if needed, as soon as possible.
“The Corona app should display all information regarding the number of beds and ventilators well-within time to prevent panic among patients. Officers should ensure that all state and central government SOPs be enforced strictly, and there should be no complacency regarding the same,” the chief minister said at the meeting.
