Coronavirus Cases in Delhi : Delhi has so far reported over 1.77 lakh COVID-19 cases
The national capital today reported its highest single-day spike in coronavirus cases in nearly two months. Government data shows Delhi reported 2,312 fresh coronavirus cases and 18 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the total to over 1.77 lakh. The city has reported 4,462 fatalities. The recovery rate is 88.5 per cent. The last biggest one-day spike was 2,505 cases on July 4 - and the cases had been declining slowly until today.
The city has opened up in phases and following the centre's Unlock4 guidelines to bring life back to normal amid the coronavirus crisis, the national capital no longer wears a deserted look, as was the case in the months after the lockdown was announced in late March.
Delhi's latest round of the monthly sero-prevalence survey started on Tuesday, covering all 272 municipal wards to analyse the COVID-19 situation at a micro level, Health Minister Satyendar Jain had said. The sample size this time will be 17,000 and the exercise will be carried out for a week, he told reporters.
The last sero-prevalence survey was held from August 1 to 7, which showed that 29.1 per cent of the people surveyed had "antibodies" against coronavirus infection.
"This time we will be doing it ward-wise, so all 272 municipal wards of Delhi will be covered, plus two assembly areas. Sampling will be done for a week. After that, results should come in 7-10 days," Mr Jain said.
The previous surveys were done district-wise.
Some experts have said the rising number of fresh cases could be due to increasing number of tests and as a result of easing restrictions on movement. The Delhi Metro will start running from September 7.
The Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry is likely to issue standard operating procedures (SOPs) on Wednesday for the metro network to run safely amid the coronavirus crisis.
"We heard suggestions of metro managing directors, which will be considered. A draft of SOPs has been prepared and it will be discussed with the Home Ministry on Wednesday. In consultation with the Home Ministry, the SOPs will be finalised," Ministry Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra said, according to PTI.