COVID-19 updates: Delhi records 733 cases, highest in over 7 months; Centre issues fresh guidelines

COVID-19 rising cases: Delhi today (April 7) logged 733 fresh coronavirus cases, the highest in more than seven months, with a positivity rate of 19.93 per cent, according to data shared by the city government's health department. The health bulletin said two more Covid-positive people died in the city. However, "Covid finding was incidental", it added.

The national capital had recorded 620 cases on August 26. On Thursday (April 6), 606 cases were recorded with a positivity rate of 16.98 per cent, and one fatality. On Wednesday, the city logged a positivity rate of 26.
54 per cent, the highest in nearly 15 months, with 509 people testing positive in a single day. In January last year, the positivity rate had touched the 30-per cent mark.

Delhi saw 521 cases on Tuesday and one fatality. The positivity rate stood at 15.64 per cent. At present, the city's COVID-19 death toll stands at 26,536, according to the bulletin. With the fresh cases, Delhi's infection tally has risen to 20,13,403. The data showed that 3,678 Covid tests were conducted on Thursday.

CM Kejriwal on rising cases:

Delhi has witnessed a spurt in the number of fresh Covid infections over the last few days amid a sharp rise in H3N2 influenza cases in the country. The Delhi government is keeping an eye on the rise in Covid cases and is "prepared to face any eventuality", Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said last week.

Addressing reporters after chairing a review meeting on the Covid situation, Kejriwal said there was no need to worry for now and the city government was taking all required steps. Delhi recorded 293 fresh cases on Monday with the positivity rate rising to 18.53 per cent, which meant nearly one out of every five people tested returned a positive result.

The number of fresh cases had dropped to zero on January 16, the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic. Nearly 120 of the 7,989 beds in dedicated Covid hospitals in the city are occupied while 1,491 patients are in home isolation, the Health Department said on Friday. The number of active cases currently stands at 2,331, it added.

Amid a gradual increase in the number of Covid cases in Delhi, medical experts say the new XBB.1.16 variant of the virus could be driving the surge. However, they maintained that there is no need to panic and people should follow Covid-appropriate behaviour and get booster shots of vaccines. They also said the rise in cases could be the result of more people getting themselves tested for Covid as a precaution when they actually get infected with the influenza virus and develop fever and related symptoms.

The Indian Council of Medical Research has said the rise in the number of influenza cases is due to the Influenza A sub-type H3N2. The H3N2 virus is leading to more hospitalisation than the other subtypes. The symptoms include a runny nose, persistent cough, and fever.

Maharashtra COVID cases:

Maharashtra today (April 7) recorded 926 COVID-19 cases, a sizable rise from 803 cases added to the tally a day earlier, while the death toll increased by three, a health official said. The state's tally stands at 81,48,599 and the fatality count was 1,48,457, he added.

Mumbai led with 276 new cases, a rise of 27 per cent from the previous day, while the three deaths were reported in Gondia, Kolhapur and Raigad districts, the official informed. The recovery count increased by 423 in the last 24 hours and touched 79,95,655, leaving the state with an active caseload of 4,487, he said.

As per state health department data, the recovery rate was 98.12 per cent and the fatality rate was 1.82 per cent. So far, 8,66,87,653 coronavirus tests have been conducted in the state, including 11,881 in the last 24 hours, as per official data.

At a COVID-19 review meeting chaired by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday, it was observed that Maharashtra was among the three states with 10 or more districts having positivity rate (cases per 100 tests) of more than 10 per cent. It was the fourth consecutive day when the addition to the tally in Mumbai crossed the 200-mark. The addition to the tally in the metropolis was 216 on Thursday, a civic official said.

ALSO READ: COVID-19: WHO tracking VOI XBB.1.5, six other corona variants under monitoring | DETAILS

LoP Ajit Pawar on rising cases situation in Maharashtra:  

Maharashtra Leader of Opposition (LoP) Ajit Pawar today said the state government should look into the COVID-19 situation immediately, as cases have been on the rise and apprise citizens. As per the state health department, Maharashtra had on Thursday recorded 803 fresh coronavirus cases and three fatalities that raised the tally of infections to 81,47,673, which includes 1,48,454 deaths. "During the recently concluded Assembly sessions, we had asked the state government about measures it was taking and the line of action it had decided to enable people's representatives to go back to their constituencies and work on dealing with the COVID-19 situation by taking officials into confidence," Pawar told reporters in Pune.

During the Maha Vikas Aghadi rule, the Uddhav Thackeray-led government had been united in its fight against coronavirus. Expressing concern, Pawar said that while the number of infections was increasing by the day, no one seemed to be taking the situation seriously. "If the situation is serious, the government should give instructions that people working in government offices must use masks mandatorily and people who visit these offices should also wear masks. However, no such order has been issued as yet," the NCP leader said. 

He further urged the government to take the COVID-19 situation seriously and inform people about the same by holding a press conference so that they know the ground reality and are able to take necessary precautions. On Chief Minister Ekanth Shinde's upcoming visit to Ayodhya, Pawar said the chief minister can go to Ayodhya if he wishes to and the deputy chief minister and health minister can handle the COVID-19 situation.

7 states reporting highest number of cases: Mansukh Mandaviya

A review meeting chaired by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya noted on Friday that seven states are reporting high number of Covid cases in India with rising test positivity rate, which include Kerala, Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Haryana.

At the meeting with the health ministers of different states and Union Territories, Mandaviya stressed on the importance of enhancing public awareness campaigns regarding adherence to Covid appropriate behaviour. The state health ministers were advised to personally monitor and review the preparedness of all logistics and infrastructure, including availability of sufficient designated hospital beds, besides ensuring that there is adequate stock of essential medicines.

The states were also asked to regularly update their Covid data on the designated Portal. The meeting also discussed the global Covid situation, along with the domestic scenario .The states/UTs were reminded of the joint advisory issued by the Union Health Ministry and ICMR on March 25, which called for a reinvigorated public health response to contain the surge of seasonal influenza and Covid cases through early detection, isolation, testing and timely management of suspected and confirmed cases to detect and contain outbreaks of new SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Mandaviya requested the states/UTs to ensure effective implementation of the same. There was a comprehensive and detailed discussion on various aspects of Covid management, including ramping up of hospital infrastructure, increased testing etc. India reported 6,050 new Covid cases in the last 24 hours while the active caseload stood at 28,303 on Friday.

Himachal Pradesh cases:

Himachal Pradesh registered 108 fresh COVID-19 cases on Friday with a weekly positivity rate of 6.6, according to Health officials. The state's active caseload currently stands at 1,933, they said. A 19-year-old woman died of the virus in Mandi district on Friday, taking the state's total death toll to 4,198.

Himachal Pradesh is testing around 5,000 samples every day while its hospital admission rate is 0.9, the officials said. On Friday, during a virtual review meeting with the Centre, Health Minister Col Dhani Ram Shandil said the state government is monitoring the situation on a regular basis. 

(With agencies inputs)

ALSO READ: Daily Covid cases cross 6000-mark in India, active tally stands at 28,303

Latest India News