E-Paper
Why Delhi’s Covid-19 numbers are a matter of concern
The national capital’s tally rose to 423,831, including 6,833 deaths, data showed.
Delhi on Friday reported 7,178 new Covid-19 cases, the highest in a single day, and 64 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the health department’s bulletin. With these numbers, Delhi has also emerged as the single largest contributor of cases, for the first time in more than four months. The national capital’s tally rose to 423,831, including 6,833 deaths, data showed. There have been 6121 recoveries/ discharges/ migrations and the active cases stand at 39,722. Of them, 7,231 patients were admitted to hospitals and this is the highest hospitalisations at a given time that the city has seen. Intensive care units are also running in full capacity in city hospitals. Over 73.5% of all the ICU beds earmarked for the treatment of Covid-19 in the city were occupied as on Thursday evening, according to the ‘Delhi Corona’ app.
What do these numbers say?
Several indicators show that Delhi is in the grip of its third and worst wave of coronavirus infections yet. Even Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Friday the third wave of the coronavirus infections will end soon just like the previous two while urging Delhiites to wear masks.
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From where are the cases being reported?
Most of the new cases are being reported from six districts of North, Central, North East, East, North West and South East, where the positivity rate stands between 12% and 14%.
What has the central government said?
Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan after a review of the situation in Delhi asked the Delhi government to increase RT-PCR tests and improve its antigen and RT-PCR ratio, which is currently at 77 per cent antigen and 23 per cent RT-PCR tests.
Could pollution play foul for Delhi?
Amid the festival season, Delhi government has banned the selling and bursting of crackers as air quality in the National Capital Region or NCR has been a matter of big concern. Poor air quality in winter could have a big impact on health as experts widely believe that those with co-morbidities are at a higher risk as the virus is known to affect the respiratory system.
India reported 50,356 fresh cases and 577 deaths in the last 24 hours as Covid-19 cases jumped to 8,462,080, according to data released on Saturday.
