Covid-19 fourth wave scare strikes again! Delhi's daily infection count DOUBLES in last 24 hours

As per the Delhi Health Department, the capital saw 1,934 fresh cases on Thursday - a sharp increase from Wednesday's figure of 928

Pic courtesy: ANI

New Delhi: Delhi's daily Covid-19 count doubled in the last 24 hours, with 1,934 fresh cases reported from the capital. The national capital recorded zero fatalities on Thursday (June 23), while the positivity rate stood at 8.10 per cent, as per the Delhi Health Department. With this, the cumulative positive cases rose to 19,27,394 including 5,755 active cases. Of the 23,879 tests conducted in the last 24 hours, a positivity rate of 8.10 per cent was observed. Further, 1,233 new discharges were recorded by the government data thereby taking the total recoveries in the city to 18,95,397.

The death toll, meanwhile, stood at 26,242 as the city logged in zero fatalities. The case fatality rate is at 1.36 per cent. On the Covid-19 vaccination front, 26,121 beneficiaries were vaccinated in the last 24 hours. The cumulative doses provided so far stands at 3,47,58,218. On Wednesday, Delhi had recorded 928 fresh Covid-19 cases, the lowest in over a week, with a positivity rate of 7. 08 per cent and three more fatalities.

In view of an upsurge in Covid-19 cases in India, Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday reviewed the Covid-19 and vaccination situation in the country. The Union Minister chaired a meeting with key experts and officials. In a high-level meeting, Mandaviya advised strictly to monitor the Covid-19 situation in the country focusing on vaccination of the elderly population, school-going children and surveillance and genome sequencing.

India has been witnessing a high number of Covid-19 cases over the last couple of weeks. The Union Minister stressed the need to focus on districts reporting high case positivity and undertake adequate testing (with a higher proportion of RTPCR) and effective Covid-19 surveillance to assess and control the spread of infection in a timely manner. Mandaviya directed the officials to continue to focus on surveillance and on whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to scan for any possible mutation. He also directed monitoring of hospitalizations due to Covid-19, and SARI/ILI cases. He exhorted to increase the pace of vaccination including booster doses in districts reporting high cases. "As there are adequate vaccine doses available, let there be no vaccine wastage while focusing on accelerating vaccination among the eligible and vulnerable groups," he directed.