Delhi: 3,483 fresh cases in city, positivity rate touches 6.2%

New Delhi: The positivity rate – number of positive cases from those tested – of Covid-19 in Delhi touched 6.2% on Thursday, with 3,483 out of 55,891 persons who were tested turning positive for the viral infection.

The total tally of cases in the city has crossed 3.21 lakh.

In the last 24 hours, the government said, 26 people died due to novel coronavirus taking the death toll to 5,924.

Delhi has recorded 563 Covid-19 deaths in the last 15 days. On an average, 38 people died due to the disease daily, data shows.

These deaths do not include fatalities involving patients from other states who are undergoing treatment at local hospitals.

Last month, in September, Delhi recorded more than 917 Covid-19 deaths. On an average, 31 deaths were reported daily.

“The rising cases of Covid-19 and mortality is a matter of concern. The government should step up awareness campaigns, ensure strict adherence to measures such as wearing masks and handwashing and at the same time ramp up infrastructure to deal with any potential health crisis,” said a senior doctor.

According to a weekly data released by the state government, the death rate in Delhi is 1.35% if you consider the numbers for the last 10 days. However, the cumulative death rate is 1.85% against the national average of 1.52%.

The average number of deaths due to Covid-19 recorded daily in April, May, June, July and August was 2, 14, 77, 41 and 16 respectively.

One of the major reasons for increased severity in Covid-19 cases is delayed diagnosis and treatment. “If a person has fever, cough and breathing difficulty and he or she tests positive for Covid-19, it is advisable to seek medical supervision. Because, we have observed, the condition can deteriorate suddenly,” a doctor said.