COVID-19: Delhi records 4,006 new cases, 86 deaths raise toll to 9,260

New Delhi, December 1

Delhi recorded 4,006 fresh COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, taking the infection tally in the national capital to over 5.74 lakh, while 86 more fatalities pushed the toll from the disease to 9,260, authorities said.

These fresh cases came out of the 58,456 COVID-19 tests conducted the previous day, including 30,297 RT-PCR tests, while the positivity rate stood at 6.85 per cent, according to the latest bulletin issued by the Delhi Health Department.

The number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 31,769 in the national capital on Tuesday, down from 32,885 on Monday, it said.

The bulletin said the total number of novel coronavirus cases has climbed to 5,74,380 in Delhi, while the recovery rate stood at over 92 per cent.

The number of COVID-19 containment zones in Delhi rose to 5,669 on Tuesday from 5,552 on Monday.

The city had reported its highest single-day spike of 8,593 COVID-19 cases on November 11.

Meanwhile, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Tuesday said the COVID-19 positivity rate in the national capital has fallen by a margin of nearly 55 per cent since early November and it should reduce further in the next two weeks.

Interacting with reporters, he also said the labs taking samples are being operated at their full capacity, hence there are some delays in COVID-19 test outcomes.

He said the Delhi government will be taking up the issue with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Centre to allow labs to conduct 10 per cent less COVID-19 tests than their total capacity, so that it results in a higher turnaround rate and no delay.

The recent spike in novel coronavirus cases had come during festive season and rising pollution level. While Durga Puja celebrations ended on October 25, Diwali fell on Saturday and Chhath was observed on November 20-21.

The National Centre for Disease Control in a report drafted recently had warned that Delhi needs to be prepared for about 15,000 fresh cases of COVID-19 per day taking into account the upcoming winter season-related respiratory problems, large influx of patients from outside and festive gatherings.

According to the Tuesday's bulletin, out of the total number of 18,688 beds in COVID-19 hospitals, 10,911 are vacant.

It said 486 beds in COVID care centres are occupied by persons under quarantine, including travellers who have returned by Vande Bharat Mission and bubble flights.

The Delhi government has significantly ramped up testing in the past few days, with the count on several times crossing the 60,000-mark.

On Tuesday, over 30,000 RT-PCR tests and 28,159 rapid antigen tests were conducted, the bulletin said.

The number of tests done per million, as on Monday, was over 3.3 lakh while the total number of tests stood at over 63 lakh.

The bulletin said 5,33,351 COVID-19 patients have recovered, been discharged or migrated so far.

The number of people in home isolation dropped to 19,400 on Tuesday from 20,456, the previous day. — PTI