The national capital Delhi recorded another grim milestone with daily Covid-19 deaths touching a record level at 380 in the last 24 hours upto Monday, the city state's health bulletin showed.

This is the highest single day rise in death toll recorded in Delhi since the outbreak of the pandemic last year. Delhi had recorded 350 and 357 daily deaths on Sunday and Saturday, respectively.

There was some respite on the daily new Covid-19 infections front with Monday's count coming at 20,201, lower than 22,933 recorded on Sunday (in the last 24 hours). On Saturday, as many as 24,103 were reported.

Part of the reason for better outcome on new Covid19 cases could be the much lower number of tests at 57,690 on Monday, say observers.

On Sunday, as many as 75,912 tests were conducted, slightly higher than 74,702 in the previous day. In all, there are 92,358 active cases as of Monday, the Delhi State Health bulletin issued on Monday night showed.

Meanwhile, daily test positivity rate surged to 35.02 per cent on Monday, reflecting the alarming situation in the capital. Roughly one in three tested are turning Covid-19 positive. Delhi currently has cumulative positivity rate of 6.22 per cent, the highest rate so far and a cause of worry given that it is above the 5 per cent mark. There are 29,104 containment zones in Delhi.

The Delhi government had on Monday announced that it will provide free vaccines to people above 18 years from May 1.

The third phase of India's vaccination drive is set to launch on May 1 where people above 18 years will be eligible for Covid vaccination.

Delhi had Sunday extended by a week its lockdown measure as the city State’s health care infrastructure remained overwhelmed due to the surge in new Covid-19 cases along with shortages of medical oxygen and hospital beds.

In the last 13 days alone, Delhi has added about 2,95,000 positive cases, sending the entire creaking healthcare infrastructure in the capital into a tailspin amid medical oxygen shortage in the city’s ongoing fourth wave.

Published on April 27, 2021