23 Junior Doctors Of Delhi Hospital Test Covid+ In A Week As Cases Spiral

23 resident doctors of a top hospital in Delhi have tested positive for COVID-19 over the span of a week, even as the national capital is reeling under a sharp spike in cases. The medics at Safdarjung hospital have mild symptoms and have isolated themselves, said a senior doctor on Monday.

"No case of Omicron has been detected so far. They are quarantining themselves and no hospitalisation required at the moment," the doctor said.

The city added 4,099 new COVID-19 cases on Monday with positivity rate jumping to 6.46 per cent in the past 24 hours, according to a health bulletin.

Earlier in the day, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said COVID-19 cases were rising fast but the situation was under control because people were not getting seriously ill to require hospitalisation.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has called a meeting on Tuesday to review COVID-19 situation and preparation in the wake of rising Omicron cases in the national capital. A decision on more restrictions and next level of alert could also be taken in the meeting.

The DDMA in its last meeting on December 29 had decided that Covid-related restrictions imposed in Delhi under the 'yellow alert' would continue in view of a low number of hospitalisations.

However, as per Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), Delhi has reached the stage of Level 4 (red alert) restrictions that stipulates the closure of most activities and total curfew.

The 'red alert', as per GRAP, comes into force after positivity rate stays above five per cent for two consecutive days.

Cinemas and gyms have been closed down and shops of non-essential items are opening on an odd-even basis, while seating capacity in metro trains and city buses has been reduced to 50 per cent in the city under the yellow alert.

(With Inputs from PTI)