Highest single day rise of Covid cases in India in 163 days: Govt data

India recorded the highest number of Covid-19 cases in 163 days with a total of 4,435 new infections reported on Wednesday, according to health ministry data. The weekly positivity rate has also reached 2.79 per cent while the daily positivity rate is higher at 3.38 per cent.

A total of 4,777 cases were recorded on September 25 last year. While doctors have said that cases are milder, an increased number of infections are being seen among health workers.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud also took note of the rising number of Covid-19 cases in the country and said the Supreme Court was 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 was more than willing to permit lawyers to appear through the hybrid mode.

Rajeev Jayadevan, co-chairman of the National Indian Medical Association Covid Task Force who was part of a review meeting on Wednesday, said that there has been a rapid rise in the total positivity rate in hospitals in Ernakulam, Kerala, and the condition of those who had taken booster shots was improving.

“From less than one positive test out of 100 (1/150), it has now reached 35 out of 100…Manpower shortage could occur in healthcare and other settings,” he said in a series of tweets. He also added that younger and more mobile people are mainly getting infected with many showing concurrent influenza infections along with Covid-19.

On Wednesday, four deaths were reported from Maharashtra, and one each from Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Puducherry and Rajasthan.

At 23,091, the active cases now comprise 0.05 per cent of the total infections and the case fatality rate stands at 1.19 per cent.

Delhi recorded 521 cases on Wednesday, the highest single-day rise since August 27 last year. “The situation is fully under control and people should not panic. Our hospitals, doctors and staff are all equipped to handle the situation,” Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi said.

Delhi recorded 573 Covid cases on August 27 last year with a positivity rate of 3.62 per cent along with five deaths.

Maharashtra recorded 569 new cases on Wednesday.

(With inputs from PTI)