On Wednesday, New Delhi, the capital of India, reported 300 new cases of COVID-19, along with two fatalities related to the virus. This is the first time since September that the number of COVID-19 cases in the city has crossed the 300 mark. The current positivity rate in New Delhi is 13.89%, with 806 active COVID-19 cases in the city.
Over the past few days, Delhi has seen a rise in the number of new COVID-19 cases, coinciding with a sharp increase in the number of cases of H3N2 influenza across the country. The number of fresh COVID-19 cases had been declining in Delhi for the past few months, and had reached zero on January 16, marking the first time since the start of the pandemic.
The total number of COVID-19 cases in Delhi has now risen to 20,09,361, with 26,526 deaths due to the viral infection. On Tuesday, 2,160 COVID-19 tests were conducted in the city. According to the health department, 54 of the 7,986 beds in dedicated COVID-19 hospitals in Delhi are currently occupied, while 452 patients are in home isolation.
Medical experts have stated that the new XBB.1.16 variant of the virus may be responsible for the gradual increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Delhi. However, they have also emphasized that there is no need to panic and that people should follow COVID-appropriate behavior and get booster shots of the vaccines. Experts suggest that the rise in the number of cases could be a result of more people getting themselves tested for COVID-19 as a precaution when they actually have influenza and develop related symptoms.
Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj has stated that there are not many influenza cases in the city hospitals, and that the situation is being closely monitored. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has stated that the rise in the number of influenza cases is due to the Influenza A sub-type H3N2 virus, which is leading to more hospitalizations than other sub-types. The symptoms of the H3N2 virus include a runny nose, persistent cough, and fever.
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