NEW DELHI: Delhi recorded 8,506 new cases on Friday, the lowest since April 10, and a positivity rate of 12.40 per cent even as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal pointed out that the number of serious patients has not declined much as ICU beds in hospitals are still full.
The lesser number of fresh cases can also be attributed to a smaller number of tests (68,575) conducted on Thursday. As many as 289 more patients succumbed to the disease.At 12.40 per cent, the positivity rate is the lowest since April 11 when it stood at 9.4 per cent. The number of new infections is the lowest since April 10 when 7,897 people were diagnosed with the disease, according to government data.
At an online press conference, Kejriwal said the number of cases has reduced to around 8,500 from a high of around 28,000 and the positivity rate has dipped to around 12 per cent from a high of 36 per cent on April 22. Around 3,000 beds for coronavirus patients have become available in the last 10 days, he said. “Yet one thing to be observed is that the ICU beds are still full. This means the number of serious patients has not declined much,” the CM said. “We have been working in this direction.
Around 1,200 more ICU beds will be available by today or tomorrow. More oxygen beds are being added and O2 cylinders being procured,” he said. But the fight against coronavirus has not ended. There is no room for leniency, the CM said. “We have to take the number of cases to zero. We cannot be at ease... have to strictly follow the lockdown,” he said.
Delhi had reported 10,489 cases on Thursday, 13,287 cases on Wednesday, 12,481 on Tuesday, 12,651 on Monday, 13,336 on Sunday, 17,364 on Saturday, 19,832 on last Friday, 19,133 on last Thursday, 20,960 on last Wednesday and 19,953 last Tuesday.nt
1,200 more Covid ICU beds coming soon: Kejriwal
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said a makeshift Covid facility attached to the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital will start operations on Saturday with 250 ICU beds. Kejriwal inspected the facility at Ramlila ground on Friday and thanked the doctors, engineers, and workers who set up 500 ICU beds in just 15 days. He said 250 ICU beds will start on Saturday, and the remaining will become operational by Monday. Another 500 ICU beds have already become operational at a COVID care facility attached to the Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital. A total of 200 ICU beds are being prepared at the Radha Soami Covid facility in Chhatarpur, according to a statement. This means that a total of 1,200 ICU beds will become operational in Delhi in the next one or two days, he said. Kejriwal thanked the Supreme Court, Delhi High Court, and the Centre for providing oxygen to Delhi.