COVID-19 cases will show rise as testing ramped up; situation as of now fine: Jain

NEW DELHI: COVID-19 cases in the city will show a rise in the next 10 days as testing capacity has been quadrupled, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Thursday said, while asserting that the plan is to contain the spread of the infection in the long-run through effective isolation.

Interacting with reporters, he also said, reports of the sero-prevalance survey conducted in the first week of September will be first put before the high court.

Delhi recorded 4,473 fresh COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, the highest single-day spike here till date, as the tally in the city mounted to over 2.3 lakh, authorities said.

The previous highest single-day spike of 4,321 cases was recorded on September 12.

"Cases of COVID-19 and active cases will rise in the next 10-15 days as testing has been ramped up four times.

But we will then be able to contain the spread of the infection in the long-run through effective isolation, as planned," Jain told reporters when asked about rise in daily cases and active cases.

The active cases tally on Wednesday rose to 30,914 from 29,787 on the previous day, as per the bulletin.

According to the Wednesday bulletin, the positivity rate stood at 7.15 per cent and the death rate stood at 0.7 per cent based on data of the last 10 days, the minister said.

"The situation as of now is fine," Jain said.

The Delhi government has significantly ramped up testing in the past few days.

The number of tests conducted and corresponding fresh COVID-19 cases reported ranged from 24,198 (2,312) on September 1 to 62,669 (4,263) on September 15.

On Wednesday again, over 4,000 cases were recorded for the 62,593 tests conducted the previous day.

On the availability of beds, he reiterated there are 14,521 beds as of now.

As per the bulletin, 7,738 beds are vacant.

Also, last week order was issued that 80 per cent ICU beds in 33 private hospitals here are to be reserved for COVID-19 patients, Jain said.

On results of the latest sero-prevalance survey, and asked to respond to a media report that claims 33 per cent of people surveyed had antibodies to the novel coronavirus, he said, "The result is not yet out, so on what basis, this figure is being claimed."

"Also, it is to be put before the high court first," he added.