Delhi’s active COVID caseload dips below 1,000, first time since April 2020

Delhi’s active COVID-19 caseload fell below 1,000 for the first time in over a year. The city had 992 active cases as on Sunday – the Delhi government said – the lowest since April 2020. The city had active cases in the 1,000-1,200 range in January-February this year before infections spiked exponentially in March. On Sunday, Delhi reported 94 fresh cases – in line with sub-100 daily new additions over most of the last fortnight. Delhi tested 75,000 samples, indicating a positivity rate of 0.13%. Delhi also reported 111 recoveries and seven fatalities.Of the 992 COVID-19 patients, 300 are undergoing isolation at home, while the rest are in hospitals and COVID care centres. A majority of those undergoing hospital treatment are on ICU or ventilator support. Doctors say patients in ICU with severe coronavirus affliction take longer to recover.

Delhi reported a drastic decline in active cases during June, from a peak of 5,889 cases on June 5. The city-state also ramped up testing, averaging 70,000 to 75,000 a day during the past month. A senior official tracking the city’s COVID caseload said June was good month for Delhi.

“Where April and May were deadly for the city, the pace of recovery has been very good in Delhi,” the official told The Indian Express.

The official attributed the quick turnaround in caseload to vaccination, apart from the fear among people and the lockdown.

“We think it will mean that now despite most things being unlocked, the pace of infection spread will be low,” The Indian Express quoted the official as saying.

Delhi has vaccinated over 42% (64 lakh) of the 1.5 crore eligible residents with at least one shot. Around 20 lakh people have got both the doses. At its peak, Delhi had 99,752 active cases in April, recording 28,000 cases in a single day – its highest-ever daily addition.The city’s recovery rate currently stands at over 98%, while the fatality rate is 1.74%.