Covid cases surge in Delhi, two deaths recorded

Delhi recorded 733 fresh Covid cases on Friday, the highest in more than seven months and two deaths due to the disease, according to data compiled by the state government’s health department.

The positivity rate, which shows the number of people confirmed with Covid for every 100 persons tested, stands at an alarming 19.93 per cent in the national capital.

The number of active Covid cases in the national capital currently stands at 2,331.

On Thursday, 606 cases were recorded with a positivity rate of 16.98 per cent. The number of infections have been going up steadily in recent days.

Nearly 120 of the 7,989 beds in dedicated Covid hospitals in the city are occupied while 1,491 patients are in home isolation, the Health Department said on Friday.

Amid a gradual increase in the number of Covid cases, medical experts say the new XBB.1.16 variant of the virus is driving the surge.

However, they maintained that there is no need to panic and people should follow Covid-appropriate behaviour and get booster shots of vaccines.

Delhi has also witnessed a spurt in the number of fresh Covid infections over the last few days amid a sharp rise in  influenza cases in the country.

The Indian Council of Medical Research has said the rise in the number of influenza cases is due to the H3N2 virus.

The H3N2 virus is leading to more hospitalisation than the other subtypes. The symptoms include a runny nose, persistent cough, and fever.