Delhi records 28,867 Covid cases - sharpest single-day spike since pandemic began

New Delhi: Delhi on Thursday reported 28,867 COVID-19 cases, the sharpest single-day spike since the beginning of the pandemic, and 31 deaths, while the positivity rate surged to 29.21 per cent, according to health department data.

Delhi's previous biggest daily jump of 28,395 cases was recorded on April 20 last year. According to the data, Thursday's positivity rate is the highest since May 3, when it was 29.6 per cent.

On Wednesday, Delhi had logged 40 deaths, the highest since June 10 last year, when 44 fatalities were recorded. Of the 164 Covid deaths recorded in the first 13 days of January, most patients had comorbidities, according to government data. 

Amid the worsening Covid-19 situation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asked States and Union Territories to maintain the momentum of the economy and focus on local containment while making strategies to check the spread of COVID-19.

"While making any strategy, it is very important to keep in mind that there should be minimal damage to the livelihood of the common people, economic activities, and momentum of the economy should be maintained. So, it would be better to focus more on local containment," the Prime Minister said while addressing Chief Ministers and Lieutenant Governors of States and UTs. 

The Prime Minister chaired a comprehensive high-level meeting with Chief Ministers and Lt Governors/Administrators of States and UTs to review public health preparedness to COVID-19 and national COVID-19 vaccination progress.

During the meeting the Prime Minister stressed that we should be in the position to provide maximum treatment in home isolation situations and for that home isolation guidelines should keep on improving and they should be strictly followed. 

He said that the use of telemedicine facilities in treating will help a great deal. Union Ministers Amit Shah, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar were among those present. Officials briefed the meeting about the latest updates on the pandemic situation.

Addressing the meeting, the Prime Minister noted that India`s battle with the biggest pandemic of 100 years has now entered its third year. "Hard work is our only path and victory is our only option. We, 130 crore people of India, will surely emerge victorious against Corona with our efforts", he said.

The Prime Minister said the earlier confusion about Omicron is slowly getting cleared now. The Omicron variant is infecting the general public many times faster than the earlier variants. 

"We have to be alert, be careful, but we also have to take care that there is no panic situation. We have to see that in this festive season, the alertness of the people and the administration is not lowered anywhere. The way the central and state governments had adopted a pre-emptive, proactive and collective approach, the same is the mantra of victory this time as well. The more we can limit the corona infection, the less the problem will be," he added.