BackNew Covid sublineage hotspot in Delhi, recorded in some other states. All you need to know
The development comes at a time when the COVID positivity rate in the national capital is above 26%
PremiumAmid the recent COVID surge in Delhi, an expert has pointed out that a new sublineage XBB.1.16+NS3_V13L has been seen in a few states, and Delhi becoming a hotspot. This comes at a time when the COVID positivity in the city is above 26%.
On Thursday, the city reported 1,603 new cases with three fatalities, taking the total death toll to 26,581. The city has a total of 7,976 COVID beds, of which only 390 are occupied, according to data shared by the city health department.
Despite the surge in cases, the Health Minister of Delhi, Saurabh Bharadwaj, has said that COVID cases in the city have stabilized and are likely to taper down in the coming days.
Bharadwaj said, "Covid cases have sort of stabilised. Recently, it was being said that the cases were showing an upward trend. Now, it is likely to taper down in the coming days."
He also claimed that most of the recent COVID-related deaths in the city have been caused by co-morbidities, and COVID was incidental. He further stated that the COVID wave is fading and will end in the next few weeks.
"We analyse every fatality and most of them happening due to comoribidities. A healthy person has not developed serious illness due to this variant," he told PTI.
He also mentioned that analyzing every fatality showed that a healthy person has not developed a severe illness due to the variant. However, he acknowledged that any death is unfortunate, and steps should be taken to prevent them.
Regarding schools and children, Bharadwaj said that no special arrangements are being considered as of now. Instead, teachers have been advised to suggest that students with cough and cold symptoms take rest. Additionally, parents are being urged not to send their children to school if they have such symptoms.
"We are telling teachers that if students have cough and cold, those children should be advised to take rest. We will appeal to parents to not send their children to school if they have such symptoms," he said.
Bharadwaj emphasized that the Delhi government has all its arrangements in place to fight the COVID pandemic, including COVID beds, oxygen beds, ICU beds, and oxygen supply. The situation in Delhi remains a concern, and citizens are urged to take precautions to help reduce the spread of the virus.
Milestone Alert!Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world 🌏 Click here to know more.
