Coronavirus cases in Delhi climbed to 300 on Wednesday for the first time in six months, taking the total active infections to 806, as per the latest health bulletin. Two more deaths were reported on Wednesday due to Covid-19.
The positivity rate has jumped to 13.89 per cent even as 163 patients recovered from the infection in the last 24 hours.
The data also showed that 2,160 Covid tests were conducted on Tuesday.
The health department said 54 of the 7,986 beds are occupied in dedicated Covid-19 hospitals in the city, while 452 patients are in home isolation.
Delhi has witnessed an increase in the number of Covid cases over the last few days. On Tuesday and Monday, Delhi logged 214 and 115 cases respectively. The positivity rate on Tuesday was 11.82 per cent.
The sudden spike in Covid cases in the national capital coincide with an increase in the number of H3N2 influenza infections in the country.
The number of daily cases had seen a decline over the last few months in Delhi. It had dropped to zero on January 16, the first time since the Covid pandemic broke out in 2020.
Experts have said the new XBB.1.16 variant of the coronavirus could be driving the surge, PTI reported. They have also said that this rise in the number of cases could be a result of more people getting themselves tested for Covid as a precaution.
On Wednesday, India recorded a single-day rise of 2,151 newcases, the highest in five months, while the active cases increased to 11,903, according to Union Health Ministry data.
The Centre has asked states and Union Territories to increase proportion of RT-PCR tests as well as booster dose coverage, especially for the vulnerable population group.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan also asked the states to undertake mock drills across all health facilities on April 10 and 11 to ensure operational readiness of hospital infrastructure, including oxygen cylinders, PSA plants, ventilators, logistics and human resources.