Photos: Delhi moves to arrest latest Covid-19 wave

A health care worker collects a swab sample from a man at a mobile coronavirus testing kiosk, as others queue at a wholesale market, in New Delhi on November 17. In the grip of an unprecedented wave of infections, the Union government has announced reinforcement of health infrastructure and human resources in Delhi to tackle what has been described as possibly the worst outbreak of Covid-19 anywhere in the country yet. (Adnan Abidi / REUTERS)

People throng a market in front of Jama Masjid on November 16. Union home minister Amit Shah held a meeting on November 15 with top officials from the Centre and the Delhi government, including CM Arvind Kejriwal. The government announced a series of measures, including adding hundreds of intensive care unit (ICU) beds, doubling the rate of testing and the deployment of central paramilitary doctors. (Adnan Abidi / REUTERS)

Cyclists ride bicycles near the Secretariat buildings in New Delhi on November 16. In the last week, Delhi has recorded an average of 7,341 cases every day, compared to 4,174 during its second wave of infections in September and 3,446 during the first wave in June, HT reported. (ANI)

Medics ready swab samples collected for coronavirus tests in New Delhi on November 16. Delhi’s number of average cases was a mere 2,885 a month ago, before the situation rapidly deteriorated as festive seasons crowds gathered across the Capital. The city is now gearing up to ramp testing to around 100,000 to 125,000 per day very soon – as against the current average 60,000 per day. (Amal KS / HT Photo)

An ambulance arrives carrying a suspected coronavirus patient at a hospital in New Delhi on November 13. In addition to the expansion of infrastructure, ten “multidisciplinary teams” were also formed by the Centre. These will visit all private hospitals and submit within two days a report of whether they are following protocols on Covid-19 treatment and access to services as per rules. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

A health worker hands out medicines to a patient at a Covid Care Centre in New Delhi on November 15. Moving forward, the Delhi government is likely to initiate an assessment to identify locations where a door-to-door survey may be conducted, with the objective of increasing surveillance of high-risk individuals, HT reported. (Sanjeev Verma / HT Photo)

Health workers and a relative carry the body of a Covid-19 victim from an ambulance to a crematorium in New Delhi on November 13. Delhi currently has 40,128 active Covid-19 cases. The city has seen 4,41,361 recoveries and 7,713 deaths, as per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on November 17. (Danish Siddiqui / REUTERS)

In a virtual press conference on November 17, Delhi CM Kejriwal thanked the Centre for its recent intervention in the capital, and specifically mentioned the shortage of ICU beds. The CM also asked people to not let their guards down at any cost. “Covid-19 does not discriminate. It can happen to any of us. You have to strictly adhere to rules and take all precautions,” he said. (PTI)