Covid: Over 500 Cases In Delhi And Maharashtra, States Urge People To Wear Masks At Crowded Areas

Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi said all civic-run hospitals are "fully prepared" to deal with the coronavirus situation and appealed to people not to panic.

A healthcare worker collects a swab sample of a man for Covid-19 test, amid a sudden spurt in Covid cases in the country, in Dehradun.

Source : PTI

New Delhi: Amid the recent surge in coronavirus cases, India breached 4000-mark as the country clocked 4,435 new Covid-19 infections on Wednesday, the biggest single-day jump in 163 days (five months and 13 days). The last time India crossed this mark was on September 25 last year when the country logged 4,777 cases.

According to health ministry data, with the fresh cases, the number of active infections increased to 23,091.  

Here are the key developments today:

• With the fresh cases, India's Covid-19 tally climbed to 4.47 crore (4,47,33,719). The death toll rose to 5,30,916 with 15 deaths.
• Delhi reported 509 new cases and 424 recoveries, taking the active caseload to 1795 and positivity rate breached the 25 per cent mark to reach 26.54 per cent.
• Maharashtra reported 569 new cases and two deaths, taking the active tally to 3,874.
• Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu urged the people of the state to follow covid appropriate behaviour and wear masks at crowded places to check the spread of the virus, a statement issued on Wednesday said.
• CM Sukhu said the state government was bringing reforms in the health sector to provide specialised medical care services to the people, adding that the positive results of these reforms will be visible in future.
• Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh on Wednesday said the government is prepared to deal with any situation arising out of a surge in Covid cases. Currently, there is no Covid patient in ICU or on ventilator support in the state, Singh said and assured that the situation is under control.
• "Our oxygen plants are functional. Our staff, wards, emergency system, all are active," Singh said and asserted that "our entire system is fully geared up".
• Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi said all civic-run hospitals are "fully prepared" to deal with the coronavirus situation and appealed to people not to panic. "This morning I visited the MCD-run Hindu Rao Hospital and took stock of the arrangements there, including on Covid beds, oxygen availability, testing facility and stock of medicine. Later, a meeting was also held with doctors and others from the hospital administration department of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi on the Covid situation," she said.
• Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud on Wednesday took note of the rising number of Covid cases and said the Supreme Court is willing to hear lawyers via video conferencing. Referring to recent media reports, a bench comprising the CJI and Justice J B Pardiwala said the court is willing to permit lawyers to appear through the hybrid mode. "We can hear you through video conferencing mode also," the CJI said.