Covid cases shoot up in Delhi, guidelines likely to be issued for schools

Delhi recorded 1,527 fresh cases of Covid-19 and two deaths from the virus in the past 24 hours, according to a state health bulletin released late on Thursday evening.

With this, the positivity rate, which shows the number of confirmed Covid cases in a sample of 100 people tested, has jumped to 28 per cent.

The national capital had recorded 1,149 fresh cases and one death on the previous day.

The Delhi government is expected to issue Covid guidelines for schools amid the sharp increase in cases in recent weeks.

Delhi education minister Atishi said Thursday, “Our government is reviewing the COVID situation and guidelines will be issued to all the schools in this regard very soon.”

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)-Delhi has issued an advisory for its staff to follow Covid-19 appropriate behaviour as four doctors and several staffers have tested positive for the infection.

According to health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, the number of children with Covid is low. “There is no need to worry, experts have not issued any advisories on the severity in children in specific,” he said.

Health department officials said the new Omicron train is responsible for the fast spread but the severity is low. At present, only about 3 per cent of the hospital beds set aside for Covid patients are occupied.

Though the admission rate in hospitals for Covid infections remains low, the number of people requiring medical attention has gone up sharply. Doctors have also advised that patients undergoing treatment at home must check their oxygen level as cases of low oxygen have been found after 4 to 5 days of the onset of the disease.