The Capital reported 277 COVID-19-related deaths and 28,395 new cases in 24 hours — the highest figures since the beginning of the pandemic, according to a health bulletin released by the Delhi government on Tuesday.
The total number of deaths went up to 12,638 and cases to 9,05,541. A total of 86,526 tests were done in a day, the bulletin said.
Positivity rate
The positivity of new cases also jumped to 32.82%, which means that 32 out of 100 people taking the test are now positive.
Of the total cases, 8,07,328 people have recovered and there are 85,575 active cases.
A total of 59,491 beneficiaries took the COVID-19 vaccination in the city in 24 hours, as per the bulletin.
After the peak in November, the number of cases had gradually decreased. New cases were falling in early 2021 and on January 16, the number of daily new cases had dropped to 94. But it slowly increased to 200 on February 24 and it has been on the rise since then.
Out of the total 19,608 beds for COVID-19 treatment, only 13.6% were vacant.
Many hospitals, including Lok Nayak Hospital, Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital and Burari Hospital, did not have a single vacant COVID-19 bed.
Also, 99.4% of the total 4,595 ICU beds were occupied and only — 31 ICU beds — were vacant in Delhi on Tuesday night, as per a government website.
2,700 more beds
In another development, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that around 2,700 more COVID-19 hospital beds will be added in a week.
Some of these beds were announced earlier, but they are in the process of being added.
“In the last two weeks, the number of COVID-19-designated beds in Delhi have been increased by three times. The number of COVID-19 beds in Delhi was 6,071 on April 3, 2021, but it was increased to 19,101 on April 20,” he said.
Action against hospitals
The Minister said that action will be taken against hospitals which do not give proper information about beds and action has been taken against two hospitals.
“Doctors and the medical staff are working tirelessly, keeping their lives at stake. They are saving thousands of lives, we are obliged to them,” Mr. Sisodia said after visiting Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital.
