Delhi logs 152 fresh COVID-19 cases, positivity rate rises to 6.66%

NEW DELHI: Delhi recorded 152 fresh coronavirus cases with a positivity rate of 6.66 per cent on Friday, according to data shared by the health department.

It had logged 117 cases with a positivity rate of 4.95 per cent on Thursday. The city had recorded cases in three-digit figures last October. Delhi has seen an increase in the number of fresh Covid cases over the last few days amid a sharp rise in H3N2 influenza cases in the country.

The city registered 84 coronavirus cases with a positivity rate of 5.08 per cent on Wednesday. On Tuesday, it had reported 83 cases with a positivity rate of 5.83 per cent and a fatality.

On Friday, the daily cases rose to 152 with a positivity rate of 6.66 per cent, according to the latest health bulletin.

The number of fresh cases had seen a decline over the past few months.

It had dropped to zero on January 16, the first time since the pandemic began ravaging countries.

With the fresh cases, the national capital's COVID-19 case tally has increased to 20,08,440, while

the death toll stands at 26,524.

The health department data also showed that 1,653 tests were conducted on Tuesday.

Only 27 of the 7,984 beds are occupied in dedicated COVID-19 hospitals, while 250 patients are in home isolation, it said. The number of active cases in the national capital currently stands at 424, the data showed.

Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj had last week said there were not many influenza cases in city hospitals and the situation is being monitored closely.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said that the rise in influenza cases is due to the Influenza A subtype H3N2 virus.

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