Huge spurt, 96 pc rise in Covid cases over last two weeks in Delhi

NEW DELHI, (PTI): Delhi has recorded over 96 per cent increase in COVID-19 cases in the last fortnight ending Wednesday, official data showed.

The total number of cases was 362 in the week spanning December 9-15 that rose to 712 in the next seven days from December 16 to December 22, it showed.

The number of average daily COVID cases jumped from 51 to 101 in the past two weeks ending December 22, with four districts contributing to over 66 per cent of the total caseload of the city, official data showed.

In a high-level review meeting earlier in the day, the Chief Minister discussed the COVID situation and Omicron threat faced by Delhi along with his ministers and senior officials.

Delhi government figures showed that New Delhi, South, Southeast and Southwest together contributed 66.7 per cent of the total case load in Delhi, in the December 16-22 period. It came down from 68 per cent in the previous seven day period of December 9-15.

However, the districts having fewer numbers of cases during December 9-15 registered faster rise in cases in the next seven days (December 16-22).

The total cases recorded during December 9-15 were 88 in New Delhi, 76 in South, 47 in South East and 35 in South West. These figures rose to 153 in New Delhi, 131 in South, 109 in South East and and 82 in South West districts during December 16-22.

The total cases rose 362 to 712 between the two weeks and daily average cases increased from 51.7 per cent to 101.7 per cent, figures showed.

The trans-Yamuna districts like Shahdara, East and North East districts defied the trend in rise in the number of cases. North East Delhi recorded a total of two cases in both weeks while the number rose from 15 to 16 in Shahdara district. The total cases rose from 15 to 20 in East between the two weeks, data showed.

The rise in the number of cases in districts like New Delhi, South and South West districts was attributed to two reasons by the officials.

”Most air passengers that flew into the city mostly stay in these parts of the city. Another reason is that the hotels and banquet halls in these districts witnessed many gatherings during the wedding season,” said a senior government officer.

The figures showed a trend of high rise in percentage of cases in districts that earlier had relatively fewer cases.

The percentage rise in cases was 213 per cent in West, and 114 per cent in North districts during December 16-22 as compared to cases in December 9-15, figures showed.

The positivity rate in Delhi was 0.09 percent in December 9-15 that increased to 0.17 percent in the next seven days, figures showed. The positivity rate increased by 95.5 percent in the two weeks. (PTI)