Third Covid wave has hit Delhi, 10k cases expected on Wednesday: Satyendar Jain

New Delhi

The third wave of COVID-19 pandemic has hit Delhi and thecity is expected to record 10,000 new cases on Wednesday with a positivity rateof 10 per cent, city Health Minister Satyendar Jain said.

The minister also said only 300-400 samples are being sentfor genome sequencing now as sequencing of all samples is not possible.

"Delhi is expected to record around 10,000 new caseswith a positivity rate of around 10 per cent... The third wave has started inthe city," Jain said. He said the Delhi government had been sendingsamples of all COVID-19 patients for genome sequencing to determine if theOmicron variant had spread in the country.

"It was just an academic exercise... Now we know thatOmicron has spread in the country, only 300-400 samples are being sent forgenome sequencing," Jain said. There are around 15,000 active cases inDelhi and only 14 patients are on ventilators. When the city saw an equalnumber of active cases last time, 20 times more patients were on ventilatorsupport, he said in response to a question.

The minister said testing for COVID-19 has been increasedand around 90,000 tests have been conducted on Tuesday. Latest government datashowed the number of patients in hospitals in Delhi has increased from 247 onJanuary 1 to 531 on January 4. In the last three days, the number of patientson oxygen support has increased from 94 to 168 and those on ventilators fromfour to 14.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had earlier said hisgovernment is ready to handle up to one lakh Covid cases a day in a worst-casescenario. The city government has activated a Covid war room which willmaintain district and hospital-wise data about bed occupancy, patients, oxygenetc, Jain added.

The Delhi government on Tuesday announced a weekend curfewand work from home for its offices as the city recorded 5,481 fresh COVID-19cases, the highest number since May 16, with a positivity rate of 8.37 percentand three fatalities.

During the weekend curfew that will come into force at 10 pmon Friday and will be in place till 5 am on Monday to tackle a surge inCOVID-19 driven by Omicron, all essential services will be allowed in thenational capital. Along with weekend curfew, night curfew will also continue tobe in place during weekdays.