New Delhi:
Delhi recorded 17,282 fresh cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, the highest single-day surge in the national capital since the onset of the pandemic, while over 100 fatalities were reported, according to data shared by the health department.
As per the latest bulletin, 104 new fatalities were recorded, pushing the death toll to 11,540.
These record new positive cases came out of record 1.08 lakh tests conducted the previous day, the bulletin said, adding, the positivity rate mounted to 15.92 per cent.
The highest single-day spike in Delhi till the third wave of the pandemic — 8,593 cases — was reported on November 11 in 2020, while on November 18, the city had recorded 131 COVID-19 deaths, the highest single-day fatality count till date.
The positivity rate mid-November last year had stood above 15 per cent.
Reeling under the fourth wave of COVID-19, the national capital on Tuesday had recorded 13,468 cases and 81 deaths due to the infection, giving it the dubious distinction of being the worst-affected city in the county.
On Tuesday, the positivity rate rose to 13.14 percent from 12.44 percent a day ago.
A total of 1,08,534 tests, including 73,915 RT-PCR tests and 34,619 rapid antigen tests, were conducted a day ago, according to the latest health bulletin.
The number of cumulative cases as on Wednesday stood at 7,67,438. Over 7.05 lakh patients have recovered from the virus.
The number of active cases stood at 50,736, as per the bulletin.
-Delhi minister tests positive for COVID-
Delhi Transport minister Kailash Gahlot on Wednesday said he has tested positive for COVID-19, and advised those who came in contact with him to take necessary precautions.
The minister was administered the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday last.
“I have tested positive for Covid-19 today. I have home isolated myself. All those who came in contact with me recently please take necessary precautions,” Gahlot tweeted.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Environment Minister Gopal Rai and Health minister Satyendar Jain were earlier infected with the virus.