Coronavirus: The number of COVID-19 cases in Delhi has been rising
The national capital reported 7,178 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours - the highest number of cases since the pandemic reached the city earlier this year. Until now the number of per day COVID-19 cases in Delhi had never breached the 7,000-mark.
For last three days, Delhi had been reporting over 6,000 coronavirus cases daily. The second-biggest spike in cases was on November 4, when the city reported 6,842 cases.
The cases are now at 4,23,831. Government data shows 64 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, and the death rate stands at 1.6 per cent, while the recovery rate is 89 per cent.
Air quality in the National Capital Region or NCR has also been a matter of big concern as winter approaches amid the coronavirus pandemic, and with Delhi reporting thousands of COVID-19 cases every day.
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.
The national capital's daily positivity rate is 12.2 per cent, while the national average is 3.9 per cent. The centre has been asking states to take measures to keep positivity rate below 5 per cent.
On Thursday, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan held a meeting over Delhi's Covid spike with Delhi Health Minister Satyender Jain, Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and other officials of the Delhi government.
The Union Health Minister 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.
He said there should be mandatory RT-PCR testing of all those who test negative in antigen tests, if they develop symptoms afterwards. He also expressed concern regarding the high positivity rate in six districts of Delhi - north, central, north east, east, north west and south east districts.
The Delhi High Court on Thursday criticised the Aam Aadmi Party government over the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the city and observed that the city could soon become the "corona capital of the country".
In a meeting of Home Ministry and Delhi government officials last week, the surge in COVID-19 cases in Delhi was attributed to festivals, more movement of people and laxity in adhering to safe behaviour.
India today reported 47,638 fresh COVID-19 cases, 5 per cent lower than yesterday. The total number of cases in the country has, thus, hit 84.11 lakh, with 1,24,985 deaths. However, the total number of active cases fell by 7,189 to a little over 5.2 lakh. Overall recoveries stood at 77.66 lakh, up 54,157 since yesterday.