341 COVID deaths, over 19,000 cases in Delhi; National capital gets 577 MT of oxygen against requirement of 976 MT

Authorities received nine SOS calls from hospitals over oxygen shortage on Thursday and 5.1 MT of the life-saving gas was provided to these healthcare facilities.
A family member before cremation of a COVID-19 victim at the Old Seemapuri Cremation Ground. (Photo | PTI)
A family member before cremation of a COVID-19 victim at the Old Seemapuri Cremation Ground. (Photo | PTI)

NEW DELHI: Delhi recorded 341 more coronavirus deaths and 19,832 new infections on Friday, while the positivity rate remained below 25 per cent for the second consecutive day, the Health Department said.

This is the fourth time in the last five days that the number of new cases remained below 20,000.

There are 91,035 active cases and over 11.83 lakh people have recovered, according to a health bulletin.

The infection tally rose to 12,92,867 with 19,832 new cases on Thursday.

There were 19,133 more infections on Wednesday.

The positivity rate stood at 24.92 per cent, a bit higher than 24.29 per cent a day ago.

The death toll rose 18,739 after 335 more people succumbed to the pathogen.

On Wednesday, 311 people died from the virus.

Of the 22,097 hospital beds for coronavirus patients in the city, only 2,175 are vacant.

As many as 50,425 patients are in home isolation and the number of containment zones is 50785, according to the bulletin.

A total of 1,14,657 beneficiaries were vaccinated on Thursday, out of which 80,306 were those who got their first dose, the bulletin stated.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said 1.84 lakh people in the 18-44 age group had got their first dose since the inoculation of this category started on May 3.

"In total, 38.88 lakh people have got the vaccine in all age groups till yesterday (Thursday) evening," he tweeted.

Delhi received just 577 metric tonnes of oxygen on May 6, which is 59 per cent of the total requirement of 976 MT, AAP MLA Raghav Chadha said on Friday.

Chadha, who is also the vice chairman of Delhi Jal Board, said authorities received nine SOS calls from hospitals over oxygen shortage on Thursday and 5.1 MT of the life-saving gas was provided to these healthcare facilities.

The national capital had received 730 MT of oxygen on Wednesday, the highest so far, which had led to a significant reduction in SOS calls from hospitals.

The increased supply on Wednesday had come following the intervention of the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court.

However, it has come down by 153 MT in a day, he said.

Over the last seven days, Delhi has received 498 MT of oxygen per day on an average against the demand of 976 MT.

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