Cases hit 10k-mark in Delhi, positivity rate at almost 12%

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Delhi on Wednesday reported eight Covid-19 deaths, last recorded in June last year when the second wave of the virus was abating, according to government data. Fuelled by the Omicron variant of coronavirus, the number of infections also nearly doubled on Wednesday as compared to the day before, with cases crossing the 10,000 mark and the test positivity rate shooting to 11.88%.

Data released by the government on Wednesday showed that Delhi recorded 10,665 new cases, out of 89,742 samples that were tested. The last time the city saw such a high number of new infections was during the peak of the second wave on May 12, 2021, when the number of daily infections climbed to 13,287. The city’s positivity rate also touched 11.88%, last seen on May 14, 2021 (12.4%).

On Tuesday, three deaths and 5,481 new infections were reported, and the positivity rate was recorded at 8.37%.

Delhi government data shows that nine people had died of Covid-19 in December, 2021. In comparison, seven people died of the infection in November, and four in October.

Even as the number of cases rose exponentially this week, Delhi’s health minister Satyendar Jain urged people to not panic.

“With the arrival of Omicron, Covid is rapidly spreading; we are constantly monitoring the situation and are fully prepared to take any necessary steps,” Jain said on Wednesday.

He added, “People coming from abroad are the ones who are most affected by the Omicron variant. Until now, no patient is in critical need of oxygen, and the majority of patients have mild symptoms.”

Government data also showed that as on Wednesday, 782 patients were admitted to hospitals. However, 551 were either asymptomatic or showed mild symptoms. Twenty-two patients showed severe symptoms and required ventilator support and 140 showed moderate symptoms and required oxygen support. The number also included 69 patients who were suspected to be infected.

These numbers underline global trends that the Omicron variant appears to be more transmissible but less virulent, and that the variant of concern (VOC) does not crowd hospitals like the Delta variant did.

“Covid-appropriate behaviour needs to be followed at all times and since the infections are minor, there is no need to panic. In the case of healthy adults who are vaccinated, the chances are that they would either be completely asymptomatic or show only mild symptoms,” said Dr Jugal Kishore, head of community medicine department at the Safdarjung Hospital.


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