NEW DELHI: Delhi continues to witness a rise in the number of Covid-19 cases every day with 438 cases being registered on Friday alone. Factoring in the new cases, the total number in the city crossed the 9,000 mark, according to the state health bulletin released on Saturday. In just three days, the city saw a surge in the number of cases with 1,342 new positive reports taking the tally from 8,470 on Thursday to 9,333 on Saturday.
However, the state government is yet to provide any clarity on the pattern of emergence of new Covid cases. In the past two weeks, no new areas have been classified as containment zones as well. However, active cases continue to remain stagnant owing to a high recovery rate. In the past 72 hours, more than 1,000 people have recovered.
The central government had recently announced a policy that asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic patients can be discharged without tests after 10 days from a Covid facility. In Delhi, 3,926 patients have recovered so far. However, six more fatalities have been registered on Friday taking the total death toll to 129. The Delhi government also appears to be following footsteps of the West Bengal government regarding the declaration of Covid fatalities.
While a death audit committee has been set up to check the case sheets received from the hospitals, sources said the government is considering the cumulative deaths only where the primary cause of death is found to be the virus. After the audit committee was formed an increase was seen in the death toll. The mortality rate in the Delhi is currently at 1.38 per cent.
“Many are coming to the hospital when their conditions are already critical. It’s difficult to treat such cases. Otherwise, the death rate has been under control. Not many cases are under ventilation or in ICU. Many have even recovered from being on ventilation,” said Dr Jugal Kishore, Community Medicine department head, professor and director, Safdarjung Hospital.
REINFORCEMENTS
The state government has roped in two more private hospitals – Batra Hospital and Research Centre and fully dedicated Cygnus Orthocare Hospital with 40 beds.