Delhi records 574 Covid-19 infections in last 24 hours, one of the lowest in months

Seven people who recently arrived in Delhi from the UK and tested positive for Covid-19 have been found infected with the new strain of coronavirus, officials said on Thursday.

The national Capital in the last 24 hours recorded 574 fresh Covid-19 infections — one of the lowest in the last five months — taking the positivity rate to 0.7 per cent. On December 28, the daily case count was 564, which was the lowest in the last five months. From December 21, the daily case count has started dipping and settled below the 1,000-mark.

Barricades put in place on a road as security has been beefed up on the eve of New Year in New Delhi. (PTI)

The fresh 574 cases came out the 81,750 tests conducted on the previous day, including 43,780 RT-PCR tests and 37,970 rapid antigen tests, according to the latest bulletin issued by the Delhi health department.

Though the overall Covid-19 situation is under control in Delhi, seven people who recently arrived in Delhi from the UK and tested positive for Covid-19 have been found infected with the new strain of coronavirus, officials said on Thursday.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said a total of 38 people have been found positive since coming to Delhi from the UK recently, and kept in a separate institutional isolation unit on the LNJP Hospital premises. “Four such patients have been found infected with the new UK strain of Covid-19. The persons who came in their contact have been also traced and tested, and its not in them. So, only these four cases of new strain in Delhi so far,” he said.

The Delhi government on Thursday issued a formal order to make seven hospitals, partially Covid-19 facilities, including LNJP Hospital.

As a precautionary measure, the Delhi government has imposed curfew from 11pm to 6am on December 31 and January 1 to avoid large gatherings during New Year celebrations.