The third peak is longer but it “could subside in the next few days”: Satyendar Jain said (File)
New Delhi:
The duration of the third peak of the spread of COVID-19 in the national capital is longer than those of previous peaks, but it could ease in the coming days, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Wednesday.
Interacting with reporters, he claimed that the city government had dramatically increased testing by almost three times a day on average compared to the number of tests performed when the second peak reached around September 16, when more than 4,000 daily cases were reported.
The minister also said the city government filed a special leave (SLP) petition in the Supreme Court after Delhi’s high court refused to allow the reservation of 80% of intensive care beds for patients. COVID-19 in many private hospitals here, and the Supreme Court has asked the government to apply to a High Court division bench.
“About two to three months ago, we wrote to the Center to increase approximately 1,000 beds and 300 intensive care beds in hospitals run by the City Center,” Jain added.
Delhi recorded more than 7,800 new cases of COVID-19 for the first time on Tuesday, bringing the number of infections in the national capital to more than 4.5 lakh and 83 new deaths, the highest number since June 16.
This highest one-day peak here so far – 7,830 cases – results from 59,035 tests the day before, while the positivity rate was 13.26% amid the holidays and growing pollution in the city. city, according to the latest bulletin. published by the Delhi Department of Health.
The previous highest one-day-to-date peak – 7,745 cases – was recorded on Sunday.
On Tuesday, 83 new deaths were recorded, bringing the death toll in the nation’s capital to 7,143. As of June 16, the city had recorded 93 deaths from COVID-19.
Asked about the long period of the outbreak of cases, Mr Jain said that in the previous spike which lasted around 5-6 days, the tests performed were around 20,000 per day and now the number of tests is almost three times higher.
The third peak is longer but it “could subside in the next few days”, he said.
Delhi had recorded 71 deaths from COVID-19 and 5,023 new cases on Monday. On Saturday and Sunday, 79 and 77 deaths from the disease were recorded respectively.
The number of active cases on Tuesday rose to 41,385 from 39,795 the day before, while the cure rate exceeded 89%.
The bulletin says the total number of cases has risen to 4,51,382.
Meanwhile, seeking to reduce coronavirus-related deaths in the nation’s capital, the Delhi government has ordered COVID-19 testing centers to compulsorily check the oxygen saturation levels of people, and those found with a lower level. 94% must undergo a compulsory medical examination.
“We are also doing RT-PCR tests in large numbers,” Jain said.
