The national capital's total of coronavirus cases has reached 66,602 (File)
Delhi on Tuesday reported 3,947 coronavirus cases - its highest single-day number so far. 68 people died in 24 hours, taking the deaths count to 2,301, the government data said. This comes days after the national capital surpassed Tamil Nadu as the second worst hit state in the country.
The national capital's total of coronavirus cases has reached 66,602. The total recoveries reached 39313 with 2,711 people getting cured of the disease in last 24 hours. As of now, there are 24,988 active cases.
Delhi had reported its previous high of 3,137 cases last week when it had crossed the 50,000-mark. From Friday to Sunday, 3,000 or more fresh cases were reported per day in the national capital. On Monday, 2,909 cases were recorded.
Delhi is inching closer to Mumbai, which has so far reported 68,410 cases. The Maharashtra capital today reported 824 cases.
Around 16,952 coronavirus tests were conducted in Delhi in 24 hours.
12,963 people are in home isolation.
The Delhi government on Tuesday objected to the centre's new guidelines, and said people who test positive for coronavirus should not go to a quarantine centre for evaluation.
The government has written to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal requesting a return to the old system, under which a government team visited the patients at their homes to evaluate their condition, check the facilities at their homes and decide whether they should be moved to coronavirus care centre or home quarantine is enough.
The quarantine system in Delhi has gone through multiple changes over the past weeks.
While initially, home quarantine was the norm for all but patients in very serious condition, last week, amid a surge in coronavirus cases, the Lieutenant Governor had ordered mandatory institutional quarantine for all.
But the Delhi government pointed out that it would mean arranging over 90,000 hospital beds, which was virtually impossible at the moment. The order was later modified, with the Centre saying all coronavirus patients will have to go to COVID-19 care centres. Only those who have facilities at home and have no other risk factors like diabetes, hypertension or kidney problems, can remain in home quarantine.
The rapidly rising coronavirus total has posed a serious logistical challenge for the Delhi government - arranging hospital beds for residents and those who come from outside for treatment. It has temporarily hired several hotels and is turning them into treatment and isolation facilities.