Delhi records 290 new Covid-19 cases; positivity rate jumps to 0.55%

Amid growing Omicron threat, Delhi reported 290 fresh coronavirus cases, highest since June 10, and one death, while the positivity rate rose to 0.55 per cent, according to data shared by the Delhi government's health department here on Sunday.

This rise is the highest since June 10 when Delhi logged 305 COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of 0.41 per cent. A total of 44 deaths were also recorded on that day.

The positivity rate of 0.55 per cent is highest since June 4, when it was 0.68 per cent.

On Saturday, Delhi logged 249 cases, the highest single-day rise since June 13, and one death, while the positivity rate mounted to 0.43 per cent. On Friday, 180 cases were recorded with an increased positivity rate of 0.29 per cent, according to officials figures.

With the fresh cases on Sunday, the cumulative tally rose to 14,43,352, while the death toll rose to 25,105 in the national capital. Over 14.17 lakh patients have recovered till now.

As the COVID-19 positivity rate touches 0.55 per cent, Delhi government has decided to re-impose night curfew from Monday, according to sources.

Officials said the night curfew will kick in under the four-stage Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) if the positivity rate settles at 0.5 percent for two consecutive days.

Under GRAP, a 'yellow' alert will come into force if the positivity rate settles at 0.5 percent for two consecutive days, leading to a host of restrictions.

Sources said Sunday usually sees a lower number of tests which might affect the positivity rate. Yet night curfew will commence on Monday from 11 PM and last till 5 AM.

The number of active cases in the city stands at 1,103, a significant jump from 934 the previous day. As many as 583 patients are in home isolation, up from 464 on Saturday.

The number of containment zones in the city stood at 279, while it was 248 a day ago, according to the medical bulletin.

The spike in fresh cases in the span of last few days is being recorded amid a jump in cases of new Omicron variant of Covid in Delhi.

Ankur Garg, Commissioner, Trade and Taxation, Delhi, cautioned against the rise in cases.

"Please don't take the uptick in Covid cases lightly. Data speaks. Increase from 1st to 25th Dec. (Delhi)- Positivity - 0.07% to 0.55% - Daily cases - 39 to 290 - Cumulative 7 day cases - 219 to 1155 - Daily bed occupancy - 111 to 230 True behaviour of omicron still unknown. People crowding up places like Sarojini Nagar market are endangering the entire community. And showing utter contempt and complete disrespect to the medical and frontline workers willing to sacrifice so much for us," he tweeted.

So far, 422 Omicron cases have been detected across 17 states and union territories in India and 130 of these people have recovered or migrated, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday. Maharashtra has recorded the highest number of Omicron cases at 108, followed by Delhi at 79, Gujarat 43, Telangana 41, Kerala 38, Tamil Nadu 34 and Karnataka 31.

The Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital in the city is currently treating 68 patients of the Omicron variant, while 40 patients have been discharged, a senior official of the health facility said on Sunday.

Besides the LNJP Hospital, Sir Ganga Ram City Hospital, Max Hospital Saket, Fortis Hospital in Vasant Kunj and Batra Hospital in Tughlakabad have also set up facilities for isolating and treating suspected cases of Omicron following orders from the Delhi government. Genome sequencing of samples of all COVID-19-infected people in Delhi is being conducted since December 22 to ascertain if the new Omicron variant has spread in the community.

Seven COVID-19 deaths were reported in the city in November this year, the highest count of fatalities due to the infection in the last three months in the national capital, according to official data.

Delhi had recorded four Covid deaths in October and five in September. A total of 52,947 tests -- 50,059 RT-PCR tests and 2,888 rapid antigen tests -- were conducted a day ago, the latest bulletin said.

Under the four-stage Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), the yellow alert will come into force if the positivity rate settles at 0.5 per cent for two consecutive days, leading to a host of restrictions.

Night curfew, closure of schools and colleges, and shops of non-essential items, and halved seating capacity in metro trains are the other restrictions that will come in place under the yellow alert.

GRAP was approved by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority in July in anticipation of a third wave of Covid. It aims to bring in a clearer picture of imposition and lifting of restrictions depending on the Covid situation.

Curfew from 10 pm to 5 am will be imposed during yellow, amber and orange alerts. If 'red' alert is sounded, there will be "total curfew".