Fresh COVID Cases Breach 200 Mark In Delhi, Positivity Rate At 11.88%

The city witnessed an increased number of fresh Covid cases over the last few days amid the sharp rise in H3N2 influenza cases in the country.

The data showed that there has been an increase in testing.

Source : PTI

New Delhi: The national capital recorded 214 fresh cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday and breached the 200 mark for the first time since September last year while the positivity rate climbed to 11.82 per cent, as per the city’s data by the health department. 

With the fresh cases, Delhi's Covid-19 tally has increased to 20,09,061 while the death toll due to the viral infection stands at 26,524. Over the past few months COVID cases saw a sharp decline, which on January 16 dropped to zero for the first time since the pandemic first broke out.

The city witnessed an increased number of fresh COVID cases over the last few days amid the sharp rise in H3N2 influenza cases in the country.

The H3N2 virus is leading to more hospitalisations than the other subtypes. The symptoms include a runny nose, persistent cough and fever. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said the rise in the number of influenza cases is due to the Influenza A subtype H3N2 virus.

As per PTI, the data showed that there has been an increase in testing, on Monday alone 1,811 COVID tests were conducted. Forty-six of the 7,985 beds are occupied in the dedicated Covid-19 hospitals in the city, while 410 patients are in home isolation. The number of active cases of the infection in the national capital currently stands at 538.

Seeing the gradual rise in the number of COVID cases, medical experts believe that the new XBB.1.16 variant of the virus could be driving the surge. However, they have stressed that there isn’t any need to panic, and they urged people to continue following COVID appropriate behaviour and to get booster shots.

They also say this rise in the number of cases could be a result of more people getting themselves tested for COVID as a precaution when they actually get infected with the influenza virus and develop fever and related symptoms.

Meanwhile, Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said there were not many influenza cases in the city hospitals and the situation was being monitored closely.