Delhi Home Minister Satyendar Jain on Friday said that the third wave of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the national capital waning in the state. The positivity rate in the state remained below 5 percent for ten days in a row. “The third wave of Covid-19 in Delhi is going down. We can now say that the peak was on November 7 when a positivity rate of 15.26% was recorded. Now, the positivity rate has remained below 5% for ten days,” said Jain in a press briefing.
Jain also added that the state is conducting over 70,000 tests a day. As of November-end, Delhi reported the highest test per million in the country at over 330,201. The national average stood at 100,159.
“Currently, the situation seems to be under control. But, people need to continue wearing masks and maintaining social distance. It is because people of Delhi have cooperated that we are seeing this result. I also want to thank the healthcare workers who have worked day and night,” the minister said.
The number of RT-PCR tests had been ramped up in the city in mid-November after a meeting with the Union home minister Amit Shah.
“I agree that the reports for the RT-PCR tests, which should be given within 24 hours, is getting delayed in some places and we are trying to strengthen it. When we met with the Centre, we were asked to double RT-PCR testing. We doubled our testing, but the reports were getting delayed. Now, the situation is improving,” said Jain.
India’s total COVID-19 active caseload has dropped to 3.63 lakh (3,63,749), the lowest in 146 days, and comprises just 3.71 per cent of the total coronavirus infections, the Union health ministry said on Friday.
The total active cases were 3,58,692 on July 18. “The country has reported a trend of sustained decrease in the number of active cases. India”s present active caseload consists of just 3.71 per cent of India”s total cases,” the ministry said.
It said that 37,528 people recovered from COVID-19 in a span of 24 hours and this led to a net decline of 8,544 cases from the total active caseload. “India’s total active caseload has significantly dropped to 3.63 lakh (3,63,749) today. This is the lowest after 146 days. The total active cases were 3,58,692 on 18th July, 2020,” it said.
The country has registered 29,398 new cases in a span of 24 hours, the ministry said and added that total recoveries are nearing 93 lakh (92,90,834). “The gap between recoveries and active cases, that is steadily increasing, has crossed 89 lakh today and presently, stands at 89,27,085,” the ministry highlighted.
The difference in the new recoveries outnumbering new cases has also improved the national COVID-19 recovery rate to 94.84 per cent, as on date, it said.
The ministry said that 79.90 per cent of new recovered cases were observed to be concentrated in 10 states and union territories (UTs) — Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Delhi, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat.
(With agency inputs)