Delhi records 1,276 new coronavirus cases, Kejriwal says situation ‘quite under control’

Delhi on Saturday recorded 1,276 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the caseload to over 1.51 lakh, while the death toll rose to 4,188 after 10 new fatalities occurred in the last 24 hours.

Total number of active cases, marking an upward trend and a negative indication for the national capital looking at a road to recovery, rose to 11,489 on Saturday.

At present, Delhi has over 16,500 beds available for those infected by the virus, out of which 3,901 beds in dedicated COVID care centre have been occupied by people under quarantine including those who have travelled to the city via Vande Bharat Mission and Bubble flights.

After 18,271 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, Delhi’s total number of tests conducted rose to 12,91,411. The state authorities have conducted 67,969 tests per million, the health bulletin stated.

Total number of containment zones in Delhi, as of Saturday, are 538.

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said that the Delhi government will not open schools unless it is “fully convinced” about the improved Covid-19 situation in the city.

Delivering his Independence Day speech at the Delhi Secretariat, Kejriwal said the Covid-19 situation in the city is “quite under control” as compared to what it was two months back and thanked all the stakeholders, including the central government, ‘corona warriors’ and different organisations.

He said in view of reports that some patients collapsed due to drop in their oxygen level even after recovering from the disease and testing negative, the Delhi government will start providing oxygen concentrators to them from next week.

The chief minister said the safety and the health of school children are very important to the AAP government.

“I meet people and get messages from them asking not to open schools. I want to assure them that we care about their children as much as they do. Unless fully convinced, we are not going to open the schools,” he said.