The spike in fresh COVID-19 cases in Delhi – 635 were reported on Monday and 412 on Tuesday – comes amid a similarly worrying spike in national figures
New Delhi. May 27:
Delhi reported 792 new novel coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours, health authorities said on Wednesday afternoon, which takes the total number of cases in the national capital past 15,000. This is the largest single-day spike in new COVID-19 cases and the first time that over 700 cases have been reported in 24 hours. The total number of cases in Delhi is now 15,257.
Although no new deaths were reported in the period, the number of fatalities linked to the infectious virus increased from 288 to 303 after a report by the Death Audit Committee. According to government data, the mortality rate in Delhi is currently 1.98 per cent; the national mortality rate is in excess of 2.5 per cent.
The Delhi government also said 310 people had been discharged from hospitals over the past 24 hours, taking the number of recoveries to 7,264 with a recovery rate of 47.61 per cent.
There are around 90 containment zones in Delhi, with parts of Kotla Mubarakpur in the southeast of the city added to the list yesterday.
Nevertheless, Delhi, alongside Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan, is among the states most badly affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
On Tuesday Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gehlot ruled out reports the Delhi Metro may re-start after the fourth phase of the lockdown ends on May 31. The metro, and all public transport, was shut in March after the lockdown was ordered.
Resumption of metro services was high on the list of suggestions from Delhi residents polled by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal earlier this month.
The DMRC is prepping for a re-start, with pictures shared on social media showing what travel in the metro could look like, but no official word has been announced.
Under Lockdown 4 guidelines, taxis and cabs have been allowed with two people, apart from the driver, and buses can ply with no more than 20 passengers at a time.
Also on Tuesday, Delhi Liuetenant-Governor Anil Baijal asked the health department to work on improving medical infrastructure and ensuring beds and oxygen facilities were available at hospitals.
During a meeting with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, it was also decided the public would be given real-time information about availability of COVID-19 beds in hospitals.
The spike in fresh COVID-19 cases in Delhi – 635 were reported on Monday and 412 on Tuesday – comes amid a similarly worrying spike in national figures. Health Ministry data this morning showed that India had crossed 1.5 lakh coronavirus cases with 6,387 new cases over the past 24 hours.
