Capital to double tests as Covid spike continues

NEWDELHI: Covid-19 cases in Delhi are increasing, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal acknowledged on Wednesday as the government took note of persistently rising numbers at an emergency meeting, where it decided to double the number of daily tests from current levels to around 40,000 per day in an effort to catch and isolate more infections.

With 1,693 new cases reported on Wednesday, the last seven days have seen an average of 1,375 cases every day. This is the highest since the seven-day period ending in July 15, when the Capital recorded 1,732 cases on an average – and a trend that HT highlighted.

The increase has been preceded by a drop in testing and an increased focus on the relatively less reliable rapid test.