Cases below 300 for 1st time since March 4, positivity rate now 0.36%

The number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in Delhi reduced further on Monday, dipping below the 300-mark for the first time since March 4. The Capital reported 231 new cases of the viral infection, showed Monday’s health bulletin.

With over 63,000 tests, the test positivity rate — proportion of samples that return positive — also fell further to 0.36%. The positivity rate in the city has stayed below 1% for eight days in a row, after the city saw its fourth and worst surge of cases between April and May.

The city has added an average of 462 new cases each day

NEW DELHI:

virologist over the past week.

The test positivity rate is a vital metric to understand the spread of an infection in any region. The World Health Organization recommends a positivoccupants ity rate below 5% before an infection can be considered under control in a region. In Delhi, the positivity rate has been below this number for 18 days now.

At the peak of the surge, Delhi recorded over 28,000 new cases in a day and a positivity rate of over 36%.

The number of deaths has also reduced with the daily toll below 100 for five days in a row now. Fewer than 50 deaths were reported for the last two days, with 36 more fatalities reported in Monday’s bulletin. At the height of the fourth wave, 448 succumbed to Covid-19 on a single day (May 3).

“It is highly unlikely that there will be a third wave unless the virus mutates. Hence, there is a need for the government to keep a close eye on the virus in circulation to pick up any mutations of concern quickly. In addition, the respite between the second and third surge in cases must be utilised for preparing for the next wave by creating permanent infrastructure and vaccinating the population,” said Dr Jacob John, former head of the department of virology at Christian Medical College – Vellore.

Dr John also said that governments should study the immune response generated if mixed doses of vaccines are used, if a half dose-full dose or a full dose-half dose regimen is used like it was mistakenly done in the global trial for the Oxford-astrazeneca vaccine.

There is a need for the government to keep a close eye on the virus in circulation to pick up any mutations of concern quickly.