New Delhi:
Delhi has reported more than 6,000 coronavirus cases in 24 hours, for the second day in a row. The national capital, which has faced its worst wave of COVID-19 since the pandemic hit the country earlier this year, has recorded 6,842 new cases in one day, which is the highest count in its history. On Tuesday, it reported 6,725 cases, its previous record in a single day.
Delhi chief Arvind Kejriwal admitted on Wednesday what experts had been pointing out for several days: A third wave of infections has hit the national capital.
“For some time now, Delhi has seen an increase in the number of coronavirus cases. We can refer to it as the third wave. Tomorrow we will hold a review meeting on this,” Chief Minister Kejriwal said today.
Covid’s daily figures from Delhi had been hovering in the range of 4,000-6,000 cases for the past few weeks, during which time it reported record numbers over several days. However, it passed the 6,000 mark on Tuesday, forcing the Delhi government to admit the third wave.
The surge in cases comes as Delhi appears to be heading into a cold snap. Today’s low temperature dropped to 10 degrees Celsius, a record low this season.
Along with mercury, there has also been a big drop in air quality in the capital.
Scientists had warned that low temperatures, coupled with rising pollution levels, could lead to an exponential increase in coronavirus cases in Delhi. Last month, the National Center for Disease Control had put the figure at up to 15,000 cases per day during the winter.
Another factor that could have contributed to the unprecedented rise in the national capital is the current holiday season. Experts had warned that people can lower their guard against the virus while shopping and celebrating festivals. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also warned people not to ignore anti-Covid regulations.
Kejriwal said today that authorities are preparing to ensure there is no shortage of hospital beds during emergencies.
“We are also going to challenge in the Supreme Court that order of the higher court on our rule to reserve up to 80% of ICU beds reserved (for COVID-19 patients) in private hospitals,” he said.
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