Delhi Third Wave: The city has so far recorded more than 4.3 lakh of COVID-19 cases. (Archive)
New Delhi:
Delhi appears to have reached the peak of its third wave of COVID-19, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said, indicating that the number of infections is likely to decrease soon.
“The first wave peaked on June 23 (3,947 cases), the second on September 17 (4,473 cases), and this is the third wave with more than 7,000 cases. We think the number should decrease after this.” Jain said as the city posted a marginal drop in its daily Covid numbers.
Delhi recorded 6,953 new infections on Saturday, after recording a record 7,178 cases a day earlier, its highest level yet. The city has been reporting more than 6,000 cases in the past five days and more than 5,000 cases since October 29.
The statement comes as concern rises over the availability of ICU beds in Delhi’s largest private hospitals amid the surge in patients with severe symptoms and a High Court suspension over the Delhi government’s decision to reserve 80% of the beds for Covid.
“We have added 1,185 beds to those that are already available. Of these, 110 are ICU beds and 685 are in private hospitals … We will now approach the Supreme Court to challenge the stay of the Delhi Supreme Court,” said Jain , adding that Delhi has 3,200 ICU beds.
“Government hospitals have ICU beds, but local residents and patients who come from other states prefer private hospitals. Therefore, there is a crisis in some health centers,” he added.
Stating that contamination was not a “cause of coronavirus disease”, Satyendar Jain attributed the increase in cases to “our collective behavior” of not wearing masks and distancing.
“It’s partly due to (economic) unlocking. It’s festival season too, so people want to buy; markets are crowded. There are many reasons (for cases to increase). I appeal to people that until we have a vaccine, please consider your mask as a vaccine and use it, it is mandatory, “he said.
Earlier this week, Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had also expressed optimism that the third would soon end “like the previous two waves.” He had also urged the people of Delhi to make masking a move to halt the spread of COVID-19 amid the festive season and rising air pollution.
Delhi has nearly 40,000 active Covid cases, more than 4.3 lakh in total, with 6,912 deaths related to the virus. India’s coronavirus count has passed 85 lakh with more than 1.26 lakh deaths.
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