Delhi reports 606 new cases of Covid-19 in 24 hours, highest since August 2022

Delhi logged 606 fresh Covid cases -- the highest since last August -- on Thursday with a positivity rate of 16.98 per cent, according to data shared by the city government's Health department.

The health bulletin said one more Covid-positive person died in the city. However, "Covid finding was incidental", it added.

The national capital recorded 620 cases on August 26.

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 26,534, according to the bulletin.

With the fresh cases, Delhi's infection tally has risen to 20,12,670. The data showed that 3,569 Covid tests were conducted on Wednesday.

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 spurt in Covid cases in the national capital and is "prepared to face any eventuality", Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Friday.

Addressing reporters after chairing a review meeting on the Covid situation, Kejriwal had said there was no need to worry for now and that 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 city saw 429 Covid cases on Sunday, with a positivity rate of 16.09 per cent, and one death.

It logged 416 cases on Saturday with a positivity rate of 14.37 per cent.

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 1,337 patients are in home isolation, the Health department said on Thursday.

The number of active cases currently stands at 2,060, 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.

Also, READ: Meet Radhakishan Damani, whose DMart made Rs 1.6 crore per day profit, had started from 1 BHK flat

However, they maintained that there is no need to panic and people should follow Covid-appropriate behaviour and get booster shots of the vaccines. They also said this rise in the number of 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.