The number of fresh Covid cases in Delhi soared by 94% to 10,665 over the last 24 hours in the biggest single-day jump since May 12 driven by the heavily mutated Omicron variant. 

According to the latest figures released on Wednesday evening, the positivity rate rose to 11.88 per cent, which is the highest since May 14. The spike in Covid cases is also being accompanied by higher numbers of hospitalisations.

Leaves of all Delhi government officials and staff have been cancelled to ensure adequate manpower to handle the Covid wave, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority has said.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said 40 per cent beds in private hospitals are being reserved to handle what he called the third wave of Covid-19.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has said his government is ready to handle up to one lakh Covid cases a day. Other arrangements have been made to keep tabs on the patients who are in home isolation.Currently, 11,551 patients are in home isolation.

Delhi has imposed a week-end curfew and work from home rules for government offices to arrest the sudden surge in Covid cases.