‘Positivity Rate Down but Not Low Enough to Relax Curbs’: Delhi Health Min

Delhi likely to see around 13,000 cases on Wednesday with a positivity rate of around 24 percent.

"The Covid positivity rate has come down from 30 percent to 22.5 percent in Delhi. The rate should be half of it," said Satyendar Jain.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday, 19 January, said that the government will monitor the COVID situation for the next three-four days, before confirming the trend in positivity rate and easing restrictions in the city.

He said that the capital is likely to see around 13,000 cases on 19 December, with a positivity rate of around 24 percent.

He said, "The COVID positivity rate has come down from 30 percent to 22.5 percent in Delhi. The rate should be half of it. We will monitor the situation for three to four days.”

But added, "However, the positivity rate is not low enough that we can relax the COVID restrictions.”

Regarding hospitalisation in the city, he said, “There is not much occupancy in hospitals and beds are also vacant.” He added that the government has ramped up COVID testing as well.

On Monday, Jain attributed the reduction in cases to the weekend curfew. On 10 January, the Health Minister had told tv channel NDTV that the city’s COVID cases would peak in a day or two.

The city reported 11,684 Covid cases on 18 January with a positivity rate of 22.47 per cent. It logged 12,527 cases and 24 deaths on Monday, and a positivity rate of 27.99 percent. The number of active cases in the city stands at 78,112.

(Sources: Hindustan Times and Mint)