Delhi reported 992 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday with a positivity rate of 2.70 per cent, while four more people succumbed to the pathogen in the city, health department officials said here.
They said the low number of cases could be attributed to fewer COVID-19 tests conducted on Monday on account of Holi.
The total number of cases of the disease in the city stands at 6,60,611. Over 6.42 lakh patients have recovered so far, the officials added.
The city had recorded 1,904 cases on Monday, 1,881 cases on Sunday, 1,558 cases on Saturday, 1,534 cases on Friday, 1,515 cases on Thursday, 1,254 cases on Wednesday and 1,101 cases on last Tuesday.
The positivity rate was 2.77 per cent on Monday, 2.35 per cent on Sunday, 1.70 per cent on Saturday,1.80 per cent on Friday, 1.69 per cent on Thursday, 1.52 per cent on Wednesday, and 1.31 per cent last Tuesday.
Four more people died due to the disease in the city, taking the death toll to 11,016, the health department said.
The number of active cases stands at 7,429, down from 7,545 on Monday, it added.
A total of 36,757 tests, including 28,618 RT-PCR tests, were conducted a day ago, a bulletin issued by the department said.
The number of people under home-isolation rose to 4,832 from 4,639 a day ago. Number of containment zones rose to 1,903 from 1,849 on Monday, it said.
The COVID-19 caseload in Delhi on January 1 was over 6.25 lakh, and the total count of fatalities was 10,557.
The number of daily cases had started to come down in February. On February 26, the month’s highest daily count of 256 cases was recorded.
However, the daily spike began to rise again in March, and it has been steadily increasing over the past few days.
Health Minister Satyendar Jain had last week dismissed any possibility of imposing another lockdown in Delhi, saying it was not a solution to check the spread of the coronavirus that is again surging rapidly.
The minister had said that there were enough hospital beds available for coronavirus patients and it could be increased if the need arises.
Health experts and doctors have attributed this “sudden rise” in cases to people turning complacent, not following COVID-appropriate behaviour and “assuming all is well now”.
The next two-three months could be challenging, they said, adding the situation can be kept under control if vaccination is opened up for more people and COVID-19 protocols are strictly adhered to.
