Delhi COVID Turnaround: Cases Dip in July, But is the Worst Over?

The drop in cases in Delhi interestingly coincides with the Delhi government using more rapid antigen tests.

Compared to last month, when Delhi was spiralling out of control, all numbers from July in the national capital show a remarkable improvement.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

With a relatively low case growth in July, Delhi's COVID-19 data is finally starting to reflect a declining trend. After recording at least 2,000 new cases almost everyday in June, the number of fresh cases in the capital dipped below the 1,000-mark in July, the lowest being 613 new cases on 26 July – a 62-day low!

Compared to last month, when Delhi was spiralling out of control, even overtaking Mumbai’s total caseload at a point in time, all numbers from this month in the national capital point to a remarkable improvement.

Along with the dip in number of cases, the case growth rate has slumped to 1.7 percent, as per reports, and the recovery rate stands at 88 percent, from what government data shows. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has also said that the positivity rate has slipped.

Although the Delhi government credits the ramped up testing strategy for its road to recovery, experts are looking at these impressive developments with a slight amount of skepticism.

While the number of cases have visibly dropped in the city, the dip interestingly coincides with the Delhi government using more rapid antigen tests, which have a high rate of false negative results.

So, are we looking at a genuine turnaround or is Delhi’s testing strategy faulty? What is the situation in hospitals looking like? Tune in!