Delhi records 623 fresh Covid cases, lowest since 18 March

With 623 fresh Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, Delhi recorded the lowest single-day count since March 18, while the positivity rate further dropped to 0.88 per cent. The national capital has been witnessing a steady decline in daily coronavirus cases since the last few weeks. On 18 March, the city had recorded 607 new cases.

According to the Delhi government’s health bulletin on Tuesday, as many as 1,423 people recovered from the disease in the 24-hour period, while 62 people succumbed to the disease, which is the lowest since 11 April when 48 deaths were recorded.

As per the government data, 70,813 tests were conducted during the last 24 hours and 1,93,73,093 tests were conducted so far. The cumulative caseload of Delhi has now reached 14,26,863 including 10,178 active cases, 13,92,386 recoveries and 24,299 deaths. As many as 56,623 beneficiaries were vaccinated in the last 24 hours while 54,10,147 people have been vaccinated so far in the national capital.

On 20 April, Delhi had registered the biggest spike of new 28,395 coronavirus cases since the pandemic began last year. On 26 April, the city registered the highest ever positivity rate of 36.24 per cent.

The Delhi government imposed a lockdown in the national capital on 19 April at the peak of second wave of Covid-19. The lockdown was extended a few times since then. After a continuous decline in daily coronavirus cases for several days, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that the national capital will begin to unlock from 31 May and said that construction activities and factories will be reopened.

The Delhi CM on Monday also said that the national capital will get the first batch of Russia’s anti-Covid vaccine, Sputnik V, after 20 June. The chief minister further said that the makers of the Sputnik vaccine have assured to send a consignment to the national capital after 20 June. “We will get a batch of Sputnik V after June 20th. Currently, it is in importing phase, I think its production will begin in August in India,” he said.

“We have been assured that after June 20 we will get some doses by the makers. Right now they are importing the vaccine and will start manufacturing in August. A part of the doses imported from Russia will be provided to Delhi,” Kejriwal said in an interaction with reporters.