Delhi reports 53 Covid-19 cases, zero deaths in a day: Statement

Delhi reported 53 fresh COVID-19 cases on Sunday that took its tally to 14,37,091, while the positivity rate stood at 0.08 per cent, according to a health department bulletin.

No fresh deaths were reported. The death toll stands at 25,069, the bulletin said.

Sixteen people have succumbed to the disease so far this month.

So far, 14.11 lakh patients have recovered in the city, the bulletin said.

On Saturday, the national capital had reported 50 COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of 0.07 per cent and one death.

On Friday, the city had reported 50 cases with a positivity rate of 0.07 per cent and zero deaths.

There are 513 active COVID-19 cases in Delhi. Of these, 169 are under home isolation, the bulletin said.

The number of containment zones in the city stands at 243, it said.

The bulletin said 65,007 tests, including 45,971 RT-PCR tests, were conducted the previous day.

Delhi battled a brutal second wave of the pandemic that claimed a large number of lives, with the shortage of oxygen at hospitals across the city adding to the woes.

On April 20, Delhi had reported 28,395 cases, the highest in the city since the pandemic started last year. On April 22, the case positivity rate was 36.2 per cent, the highest so far.

The highest number of 448 deaths was reported on May 3.

The city government has been ramping up the health infrastructure to prevent a repeat of the crisis witnessed during the peak of the second wave of coronavirus in April and May.

Steps have been taken to increase the number of hospital beds to accommodate up to 37,000 patients a day and become self-reliant in terms of oxygen supply.

According to officials, around 160 PSA oxygen generation plants with a total capacity of 148.11 metric tonnes are being installed at various government and private hospitals in the city.

While 66 plants are being installed at Delhi government hospitals, 10 are being set up at central government hospitals and 84 at private healthcare facilities.

According to government data, 1.15 crore vaccine doses have been administered in the national capital since the inoculation exercise started on January 16. Over 32 lakh people have received both doses.

The health department had recently told the Delhi Disaster Management Authority that it will take another year to vaccinate against coronavirus all eligible beneficiaries aged above 18 at "the present rate of vaccine supply".

Around 1.5 crore beneficiaries are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination in the national capital and three crore doses are required to fully inoculate them.

Around 45 lakh doses are required every month to complete the vaccination by December 2021.