Delhi on Saturday recorded 2,311 Covid cases with a positivity rate of 13.84 per cent while one more person died due to the disease, according to data shared by the city health department.

It was the fourth consecutive day that the daily count of Covid cases crossed the 2,000 mark. Also, this was the sixth day in a row that the positivity rate breached the 10-per cent mark.  Delhi on Friday had recorded 2,419 Covid cases, the highest in six months, with a positivity rate of 12.95 per cent, while two more people died due to the disease. On Thursday. The city logged 2,202 Covid cases, with a positivity rate of 11.84 per cent and four deaths.

 The national capital on February 3 recorded 2,668 cases and 13 fatalities.  Delhi on Wednesday reported 2,073 COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of 11.64 per cent. The number of deaths recorded on Wednesday was the highest since June 25 when six deaths were reported due to COVID-19 in the city.

Meanwhile, Amid a rise in coronavirus infections in some parts of the country, the central government has asked Delhi and six states to ensure adequate testing, promote Covid-appropriate behaviour and increase the pace of vaccination to contain the surge.

 In a letter to Delhi, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said upcoming festivals and mass congregations in different parts of the country may potentially facilitate transmission of infectious diseases, including COVID-19.

Bhushan said the national capital has been reporting high average daily new cases (811 cases) for the past month with a high of 2.202 new cases reported on August 5. Delhi has contributed 8.2 per cent of India’s weekly new cases in the week ending August 5 and has also recorded 1.86 times increase in average daily new cases from 802 in the week ending July 29 to 1,492 in the week ending August 5. An increase in the weekly positivity rate was also reported in Delhi - from 5.90 per cent in the week ending July 29 to 9.86 per cent in the week ending August 5.

Meanwhile, the Chamber of Trade and Industry has requested the Delhi government and Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena not to impose any restrictions on traders in case of the implementation of COVID-19 guidelines in the future. The request was made in view of the upcoming festive season. 

The CTI has also written to the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) regarding the same as it is concerned that with the spike in Coronavirus cases in the national capital, virus-related restrictions will be imposed on traders, leading to loss in business. CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal and president Subhash Khandelwal said that they have been receiving distress calls from different sectors and business organisations.