NEW DELHI: The number of patients being admitted to the hospital has seen a steady rise in the national capital. While, a majority of the patients are self-isolating at their homes, a total of 183 people were hospitalised including 63 patients in ICU and 52 on oxygen support.
The hospitalisation rate is around three per cent of the total active cases, the health bulletin stated. Of the 9,590 beds available for COVID-19 patients, only 193 (2.01 per cent) are occupied.
According to the Lok Nayak Hospital doctors, most of the patients coming to hospital are those who have been referred from other hospitals including private hospitals. "Those hospitalised in COVID-19 wards are mostly patients suffering from asthma, TB or dehydration,” said Dr Ritu Saxena, Deputy Director at Lok Nayak Hospital.
The city reported a total of 1,414 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, around 31 per cent more than a day ago, though the positivity rate came down to 5.97 per cent, according to the data. One death occurred due to the disease.
The national capital's overall COVID-19 tally has increased to 18,87,050, while the death toll stands at 26,176. A total of 23,694 tests were conducted on Monday, according to the data. Currently, 183 COVID-19 patients are admitted in Delhi hospitals, while 4,389 are recuperating in home isolation, it said.
Eminent epidemiologist Dr Chandrakant Lahariya said the test positivity rate is stagnant which means the infection is spreading at the same rate and there is no wave. There is a subtle change in the hospitalization rate which also proves that there is hope for a surge in the cases.
Health Minister Satyendar Jain had last week said COVID-19 cases have increased in the capital but the situation is not serious as people are not developing severe disease and hospitalisation rate is low. He attributed the low hospitalisation rate to vaccinations and naturally acquired immunity.
40 per cent cases 'unreported' in April
NEW DELHI: Nearly half of COVID-19 positive cases covered in a survey were unreported in April as many people opted for home antigen testing, LocalCircles claimed. The survey claimed that 42 per cent of Delhi-NCR residents that had symptoms and took a test in the last 30 days only took the self rapid antigen test.
Only one in three respondents from Delhi-NCR took an RT-PCR test in the last 30 days, while the majority opted for at-home antigen testing pointing to a sizable undercounting of daily caseloads, the survey contended. The survey received 16,000 responses from residents from across the districts of Delhi-NCR.