COVID-19: Over 800 cases in Delhi for first time this year; positivity rate breaches 1% mark again

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New Delhi: Delhi reported over 800 COVID-19 cases for the first time this year on March 20 as the positivity rate breached the 1% mark after over two months, while two more fatalities pushed the death toll to 10,955, as per data shared by the health department.

The number of active cases rose to 3,409 from 3,165 a day ago, according to the latest health bulletin.

The new 813 cases pushed the infection tally to 6,47,161, of whom over 6.32 lakh people have recovered till date.

On March 19, the city had recorded 716 cases while the count on March 18 was 607 and 536 on March 17.

The two new fatalities took the toll to 10,955, while the positivity rate rose to 1.07% from 0.93% on March 19, the bulletin said.

The cases have been steadily rising over the last few days. The positivity rate had been hovering below the 1% mark for over two months.

A total of 77,888 tests, including 46,292 RT-PCR and 29,596 rapid antigen, were conducted on March 19, while the number of people under home isolation on Saturday rose to 1,722 from 1,624 a day ago, the bulletin said.

Health experts and doctors have attributed this “sudden rise” in COVID-19 cases to people turning complacent, not following COVID-19 appropriate behaviour and “assuming all is well now”.

A total of 585 cases were reported on January 1 and 424 on January 3. The daily count had dropped to 306 on January 11 and risen again to 386 on January 12, according to official figures.

The numbers had started to come down in February. On February 26, the month’s highest daily count of 256 cases was recorded.

Asserting that the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in the national capital was not a cause for worry, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said on March 18 that the city government had directed officials for stricter tracking, tracing and isolation of cases.