New Delhi: Delhi logged the highest number of Covid-19 cases this year with 1,767 new infections and six deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the active caseload to 6,046 on Wednesday. The national capital reported 1,427 recoveries and the positivity rate stood at 28.63 per cent. Maharashtra on Wednesday recorded 1,100 new coronavirus infections and four fatalities, taking the active number of cases in the state to 6,102. Mumbai recorded 234 cases and one fatality, while Pune city and Satara district recorded one fatality each.
Meanwhile, India has clocked 10,542 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases rose to 63,562, according to the Union Health Ministry data on Wednesday. The death toll increased to 5,31,190 with 38 deaths, including 11 from Kerala.
The Covid case tally stood at 4.47 crore, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,42,50,649.
Earlier on Tuesday, Delhi logged 1,537 fresh Covid-19 cases with a positivity rate of 26.54 per cent. On Monday, the city had recorded 1,017 fresh Covid cases with a positivity rate of 32.25 per cent, the highest in more than 15 months. On Sunday, Delhi reported 1,634 cases with a positivity rate of 29.68 per cent.
Meanwhile, health experts have said Omicron sub-variant XBB.1.16 could be driving the surge in cases in the city. However, they said that there is no need to panic and people should follow Covid-appropriate behaviour and get their booster shots at the earliest.
In the wake of surge in cases, Delhi prisons department instructed the jail inmates not to gather at one place and wash hands regularly, news agency PTI reported.
"We have issued general instructions to the inmates. They have been instructed not to gather at a place and wash their hands regularly. The inmates who show the symptoms of fever and cold get tested inside the prisons. If they test positive for Covid, they are kept isolated at the central hospital in jail number 3 where we admit them for 10 to 12 days," a senior official said.