COVID-19 second wave: Every third person in Delhi infected with coronavirus, claims report

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal tweeted by saying that OXYGEN HAS BECOME AN EMERGENCY IN DEL.

Photo courtesy: PTI

New Delhi: The coronavirus infection in the national capital is at its peak and every third sample collected is tested positive for the COVID-19, says reports. 

Delhi witnessed the biggest surge in the daily COVID-19 caseload with 25,462 fresh cases and the positivity rate increased up to 29.74 per cent on Sunday (April 18). A total of 161 people succumbed to infection in the past 24 hours. A day ago, the national capital recorded 24,375 cases and 167 deaths due to coronavirus infection. 

Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said less than 100 ICU beds are available in hospitals in the capital. He also shot off letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal urging them to ramp up bed capacity in central government-run hospitals and to ensure an “uninterrupted” supply of medical oxygen.

“The COVID situation has become very serious in Delhi. There is a huge shortage of beds and oxygen. I request that at least 7,000 out of 10,000 beds in central government hospitals in Delhi be reserved for COVID patients and oxygen be immediately provided in Delhi,” he wrote in the letter to PM Modi.

Del facing acute shortage of oxygen. In view of sharply increasing cases, Del needs much more than normal supply. Rather than increasing supply, our normal supply has been sharply reduced and Delhi’s quota has been diverted to other states.

OXYGEN HAS BECOME AN EMERGENCY IN DEL

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 18, 2021

“Delhi facing acute shortage of oxygen. In view of sharply increasing cases, Delhi needs much more than the normal supply. Rather than increasing supply, our normal supply has been sharply reduced and Delhi’s quota has been diverted to other states. OXYGEN HAS BECOME AN EMERGENCY IN DEL,” CM Arvind Kejriwal tweeted. 

Meanwhile, India's total tally of COVID-19 cases crossed the 1.50-crore mark with around 25 lakh cases being added in just 15 days, while active cases surpassed the 19-lakh mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday (April 19). The nationwide tally of COVID-19 cases mounted to 1,50,61,919 with a record single-day rise of 2,73,810 coronavirus infections.

The death toll increased to 1,78,769 with a record 1,619 daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.