NEW DELHI: Delhi logged its highest single- day COVID spike on Tuesday since the outbreak with 6,725 new cases recorded in the last 24 hours. For the first time, Delhi recorded 6,725 cases, taking the infection tally in the national capital to over 4 lakh, even as the positivity rate stood at 11.29 per cent amid festive season and rising pollution.
On Monday, 59,540 tests were conducted. The previous highest single-day spike - 5,891 cases - was recorded on Friday. Forty-eight new fatalities were recorded, pushing the toll to 6,652, according to the latest bulletin issued by the state health department. Delhi had recorded over 5,000 daily cases for five days on the trot, ending Sunday when the count stood at 5,664.
The city recorded 4,001 COVID-19 cases on Monday with positivity rate hovering around 11 per cent. The national capital has seen a see-saw battle with the pandemic, with the graph declining after the first peak in June and then going up in August-end, to dip again in mid-September.
The Centre has attributed the sudden surge in daily incidences in the last few days to greater movement of people during festive season and laxity in adhering to safety norms.
The Dr VK Paul Committee had already recommended that Delhi in the time of festivity is likely to witness a surge in cases of novel coronavirus as much as above 10,000 daily.
While the Delhi government claimed that there are sufficient beds available in hospitals and Covid care centres for patients, major city based hospitals are already out of ICU beds with ventilators. Of 36,000 plus active cases in Delhi, more than 21,000 patients are in home isolation while 6,798 are admitted in hospitals.
The Delhi government has significantly ramped up testing in the past few days. The number of Rapid Antigen Tests conducted on Monday stood at 45,980 while the RTPCR, CBNAAT and True NAAT tests figures were 13,560 in all adding to 59,540.
Spike continues
Delhi had recorded over 5,000 daily cases for five days on the trot, ending Sunday when the count was at 5,664. The city recorded 4,001 cases on Monday with positivity rate at 11 per cent