Delhi's single-day Covid-19 cases count crosses 1,000-mark in seven months

NEW DELHI: The number of Covid-19 cases in Delhi on Wednesday exceeded 1,000-mark for the first time in more than seven months, and the positivity rate was 23.8 per cent, according to information provided by the health department.
The national capital recorded 1,149 fresh cases and one fatality.
The health department has stated that coronavirus was not the primary factor leading to death.
The number of cases on Wednesday was the highest since August 19 of last year.
On August 19 of the previous year, the city had 1,417 cases, a reduced positivity rate of 7 point 53 per cent, and three fatalities as a result of the viral illness.
Delhi's infection total has increased to 20,17,250 with the addition of the new cases. The bulletin reported that there have been 26,546 fatalities.
Of 4,827 tests performed the day before, new cases surfaced.
Delhi logged 980 Covid cases on Tuesday, the highest since August 20, with a positivity rate of 25.98 per cent, along with two fatalities.
Delhi on Monday logged 484 single-day Covid-19 cases with a positivity rate of 26.58 per cent along with three deaths.
It recorded 699 cases with a positivity rate of 21.15 per cent on Sunday, while four patients had died.
The city recorded 535 cases on Saturday with a positivity rate of 23.05 per cent.
The national capital logged 733 cases on Friday with a positivity rate of 19.93 per cent.
On Thursday, 606 cases were recorded with a positivity rate of 16.98 per cent, and one fatality.
On Wednesday, Delhi added 509 cases with a positivity rate of 26.54 per cent, the highest in nearly 15 months. In January last year, the positivity rate had touched the 30 per cent-mark.
Delhi has witnessed a spurt in its single-day counts over the last fortnight amid a sharp rise in H3N2 influenza cases in the country.
The number of fresh cases had dropped to zero on January 16, the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic.
The health department on Wednesday said 221 of 7,944 beds in the city's dedicated Covid hospitals are occupied, while 1,995 patients are in home isolation.
The number of active cases currently stands at 3,347, it added.
Mock drills were conducted at hospitals in Delhi on Tuesday to ascertain their preparedness to tackle the disease amid a surge in cases in the national capital.
The mock drill conducted on Tuesday was part of a nationwide exercise to take stock of the hospitals' preparedness to tackle the surge in Covid cases. Officials had already announced that both public and private facilities are expected to participate in the exercise conducted on April 10 and 11.
Amid a gradual increase in the number of Covid cases in Delhi, medical experts have said the virus' new XBB.1.16 variant could be driving the surge.
However, they maintained that there is no need to panic and people should follow Covid-appropriate behaviour and get their booster shots.
They also said this rise in the number of cases could be the result of more people getting themselves tested for Covid as a precaution when they actually get infected with the influenza virus and develop fever and related symptoms.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said the rise in the number of influenza cases is due to the Influenza A sub-type H3N2.
The H3N2 virus is leading to more hospitalisation than the other subtypes. The symptoms include a runny nose, persistent cough and fever.
(With inputs from PTI)