COVID-19 cases in Delhi climbs to 576; death toll rises to 9: Authorities

The total number of coronavirus cases in the national capital on Tuesday rose to 576, with 51 fresh cases and two deaths being reported in a day, according to the Delhi Health Department.

The total number of cases include 333 people who took part in Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Nizamuddin area last month, they said.

With this, the death toll in Delhi due to COVID-19 has risen to nine.

Earlier, in a tweet by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) the tally of cases were 550, however, in a bulletin released by the Delhi Health Department the number of cases were updated to 576.

By Monday night, the number of cases of the deadly virus in the city stood at 525, including seven deaths.

Meanwhile, the OPD facility at the Delhi State Cancer Institute has been shut and admitted patients being shifted to a private facility nearby in the wake of two doctors and 16 other medical staff testing positive for coronavirus in the last few days.

Out of the total cases, 20 have been discharged and one has migrated out of the country.

According to the Delhi Health Department, 203 of the total cases were people who had travelled abroad or came in contact with affected persons; and 333 came from Markaz (centre) in Nizamuddin area of South Delhi.

Over 2,000 delegates, including from Indonesia and Malaysia, attended the Tabligh-e-Jamaat congregation in Nizamuddin West from March 1-15, officials said on Monday as the south Delhi neighbourhood was virtually sealed earlier following fears that some people may have contracted COVID-19.

The civic authorities have carried out mass sanitisation and disinfection drive in Nizamuddin area in last few days using drones and other measures.

According to the Delhi Health Department, out of the total 576 cases recorded so far, 546 are admitted at various hospitals like the LNJP Hospital, GTB Hospital, RML Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital and Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital (RGSSH) and AIIMS Jhajjhar.

Total number of COVID-19 samples sent till date stands at 9,041, the Delhi Health Department said in a statement.

A total of 3,120 people have been kept in quarantine at various government facilities, it said.

A total of 23,063 people who came in contact with affected persons are under home quarantine till date and 5,726 have completed their 14-day quarantine period, they said.