Delhi adds 243 new Covid-19 cases, three more deaths
The city’s average positivity has increased to 0.32% over the last seven days, in comparison to 0.25% the week before and 0.21% the week before that. Although the increase is minor, experts worry it may be indicative of an increase in virus transmission in Delhi.
The Capital reported over 200 cases of Covid-19 for the fourth day in a row, adding 243 cases on Saturday, amid concerns over the emergence of what appears to be new waves of the infection in at least five states in India — Maharashtra, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Chhattisgarh.
The city’s average positivity has increased to 0.32% over the last seven days, in comparison to 0.25% the week before and 0.21% the week before that.
Although the increase is minor, experts worry it may be indicative of an increase in virus transmission in Delhi.
The city also recorded three Covid-19 deaths, the highest in 15 days. So far, 10,909 people have died of the infection in Delhi.
“If the number of tests has remained more or less the same, it shows that the transmission of the infection is increasing again. What we need to do right now is tell people that the pandemic is not over. They have to continue to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour to ensure the numbers remain under control,” said Dr Lalit Kant, former head of the department of epidemiology and infectious diseases at the Indian Council of Medical Research.
Delhi conducted 67,484 tests for the infection on Saturday. Of these, 45,873 were conducted using the more reliable reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction method (RT-PCR). The positivity rate on Saturday — 0.36% — was marginally lower than 0.41% on Friday.
Centre lists 226 private hospitals for Covid jabs
The Centre has released a list of 226 vaccination centres in private hospitals registered under Ayushman Bharat and CGHS in Delhi that will vaccinate people over the age of 60 and those with comorbidities in the second phase of vaccinations that will begin across India on March 1.
All the 313 centres — government and private centre — already vaccinating health care workers and frontline workers will continue to vaccinate other beneficiaries as well, according to senior officials in the state’s health department.
“The second phase of the vaccination drive will be rolled out across all the existing centres currently and then we will look at expanding the number of centre. A decision on which private hospitals will be included in the new list of centres will be taken after a meeting with the private hospitals tomorrow,” one of the officials said.