Coronavirus cases continued to rise sharply in Delhi on Monday, with the capital recording 4,099 new infections in the past 24 hours. The new cases on Monday were 28.33% higher than Sunday’s count of 3,194 cases.
The Covid-19 count in Delhi on Monday was the highest since May 18, according to NDTV. The test positivity rate in the city is currently 6.46%, which is the highest fsince May.
One person died of the coronavirus in Delhi in the past 24 hours and the case fatality rate is currently 1.72%.
Delhi currently has 10,986 active Covid-19 cases and 420 people are currently in hospital due to the disease. Out of these, 124 patients are on oxygen support, while seven patients are on ventilator support.
Earlier on Monday, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said that the Omicron variant is now the dominant strain in the capital. He said that 81.28% of the coronavirus cases in the Capital in the last few days were of the Omicron variant.
The minister, while addressing the Delhi Assembly, said that out of 187 samples sent for genome sequencing in the past few days, a total of 152 people had the Omicron strain. However, Jain said that nearly 96% of hospital beds for Covid-19 cases are vacant, and urged people not to panic.
The Delhi health minister added that the spread of the Omicron variant could have been stopped if the Centre had banned international flights on time. “Even after repeated requests made by the chief minister of Delhi, no appropriate action was taken,” he said.
Jain asserted that the Delhi government is ready to “fight any variant of the coronavirus with full force”. He said that nearly 100% of the people in Delhi have received the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and about 75% of the population has received both doses.
On Sunday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal during a press conference noted that most Covid-19 patients in the Capital did not need hospitalisation. “We have to act responsibly, wear masks, wash hands regularly and follow social distancing norms,” he had said.
Delhi has reported the second highest number of cases (351) of the Omicron variant in the country after Maharashtra (510). A total of 57 persons who were infected with Omicron have recovered or have been discharged from hospitals, according to the Union health ministry’s figures from Monday morning.
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