Delhi logs 523 new Covid cases, 50 deaths; over 24,000 beds available

New Delhi: The capital on Friday recorded 523 fresh Covid cases and 50 fatalities, while the positivity rate stood at 0.68%, stated data shared by health department. According to the latest bulletin, the new fatalities pushed the death toll to 24,497.

On Thursday, Delhi recorded 487 cases — the lowest daily count in over two-and-a-half months — and 45 fatalities. This was the first time the daily death count went below the 50-mark since April 11, when the tally was 48. The positivity rate on Thursday stood at 0.61%.

According to official data, on March 16, the capital had recorded 425 cases and 536 on March 17. The infection rate, which had reached 36% in the last week of April, has come down to below 1% now.

Meanwhile, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal held two key meetings on Friday to discuss preparations for the anticipated third wave of the pandemic. He held an important meeting with the expert committee and then with the preparation committee later.

Delhi government, on May 27, had set up a 13-member committee to prepare an action plan for a possible third wave after assessing the current status and projected requirement of the health infrastructure, such as hospitals, oxygen plants and drug supplies in the city. Another eight-member expert committee was set up to devise a strategy to mitigate and manage the third wave.

Also, keeping an eye on the anticipated third wave, health minister Satyendar Jain on Friday visited two healthcare project sites at Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital and Lok Nayak Hospital.

Since April 19, both daily cases and single-day deaths count had been spiralling, with over 28,000 cases and 277 deaths recorded on April 20; rising to 306 fatalities on April 22. On May 3, the city registered a record 448 deaths, said the official data.

However, the number of cases has shown a downward trend and the positivity rate, too, has been shrinking in the past several days. The number of deaths per day, has also seen a decline in the past couple of days.

In total, Delhi has 28,038 Covid beds, of which 24,461 beds are currently vacant. There are total 6,745 ICU beds of which 4,730 are vacant.

“New admissions for Covid-19 have declined significantly over the past few days. The occupancy of Covid beds in our hospital has reduced to less than 300,” said a senior doctor at Lok Nayak hospital. Safdarjung Hospital has 390 vacant beds, while AIIMS Jhajjar has 288 vacant beds for Covid patients.