Delhi records 1,575 new COVID-19 cases, positivity rate 2.46 pc

The tally of active cases on Thursday dropped to 18,753 from 20,546 the previous day.The bulletin said the total number of cases has climbed to 6,01,150 while the recovery rate stood at over 95 per cent.

The national capital recorded 1,575 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, the lowest in over three months, even as the positivity rate dipped to below 3 per cent, authorities said. The positivity rate from December 3-7 had successively dipped to 4.96 per cent, 4.78 per cent, 4.2 per cent, 3.68 per cent and 3.15 per cent respectively. However, on December 8, it had risen again to 4.23 per cent, only to fall to 3.42 per cent on December 9.

These relatively low number of new cases on Thursday came out of 64,069 tests conducted the previous day, according to the latest bulletin issued by the Delhi health department. Sixty-one fatalities were recorded, pushing the toll in the national capital to 9,874 while the positivity rate dropped to 2.46 per cent, the bulletin said, adding that the average death rate of the past ten days stood at 2.27 per cent.

The fall in daily cases here is significant as it is the lowest since August 31, when 1,358 fresh incidences were recorded. The tally of active cases on Thursday dropped to 18,753 from 20,546 the previous day.

The bulletin said the total number of cases has climbed to 6,01,150 while the recovery rate stood at over 95 per cent. Meanwhile, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain told reporters that the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic in the national capital is not over yet but it is ''definitely on the wane''.

Later, he also tweeted: ''The positivity rate in Delhi today is 2.46%. Since 7th November, positivity rate is gradually decreasing. In last 14 days active case reduced to half to 18,753. The third wave is finally fading, but it is not over yet. I urge you all to take all precautions and stay safe!'' The number of containment zones in Delhi dropped to 6,430 on Thursday from 6,460 on Wednesday. The highest single-day spike till date -- 8,593 cases -- was reported on November 11.

According to the Thursday bulletin, out of the total number of 18,852 beds in COVID hospitals, 13,659 are vacant. It said 260 beds in COVID care centres are occupied by persons under quarantine, including travellers who have returned by Vande Bharat Mission and bubble flights.

Delhi government had significantly ramped up testing in the past few weeks, with the count on several times crossing the 60,000-mark. On Wednesday, 29,441 RT-PCR tests and 34,628 rapid antigen tests were conducted, in all adding to 64,069, the bulletin said.

The number of tests done per million, as on Wednesday, was over 3.68 lakh while the total number of tests stood at over 70 lakh. The bulletin said 5,75,523 patients have recovered, been discharged or migrated so far.

The number of people in home isolation dropped to 11,541 on Thursday from 12,186 the previous day..