Coronavirus pandemic | Delhi COVID-19 death toll 398; record spike of 1,106 more cases takes tally to over 17,000

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The COVID-19 death toll in the national capital climbed to 398 with 82 fatalities that took place in the last one month being reported on Friday while the total tally of cases jumped to over 17,000, authorities said.

Delhi Deputy Chief Manish Sisodia and Health Minister Satyendar Jain in a virtual joint press conference said that 13 of the 82 deaths took place on May 27.

"The remaining 69 deaths have taken place over a period of 34 days. These cases are being recorded now due to late reporting by various hospitals or due to incomplete submission of information," Sisodia said.

The 69 deaths include 52 fatalities that had taken place at Safdarjung Hospital, a report for which was submitted by authorities a couple of days ago, he said.

Jain said the death toll due to COVID-19 in Delhi has risen to 398.

Between May 12 and 20, one death took place each day, he added.

"The Delhi Death Audit Committee had looked into all these cases and given the figures. So, this rise of 82 is seen at once," the deputy chief minister said.

Safdurjung Hospital so far has recorded 103 COVID-19 related deaths, Dr Balvinder Singh, Medical Superintendent of the hospital said, adding of these fatalities, 33 were severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases.

From February 1 till May 16, 53 COVID-19 deaths have been reported to the Delhi government, Singh said.

RML Medical Superintendent Dr Minakshi Bharadwaj said 168 deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported so far in the hospital.

"We regularly update the death figures in the format sent by the Delhi government," she said.

With 1,106 coronavirus cases, the total number has mounted to 17,387, Jain said, adding that 7,846 people have recovered from the infection. This is the highest single-day spike in coronavirus cases in Delhi so far.

Sisodia added the recovery rate of coronavirus patients in Delhi is nearly 50 per cent. The total number of containment zones in the station capital stand at 102.

With record spike in coronavirus cases for two consecutive days and rise in deaths, the opposition BJP and Congress mounted attacks on the AAP government.

The BJP's Delhi unit president Manoj Tiwari said the speed at which coronavirus cases are increasing in Delhi every day has now brought the reality of the Arvind Kejriwal government's "imaginary" health system in front of the people.

Delhi Congress president Anil Kumar said it was very shocking that the national capital has jumped to third position in number of coronavirus cases in the country.

"Delhi has been witnessing sharp spikes in COVID-19 cases, with the last two days reporting over 1,000 new cases each," Kumar said.

The city's Health Minister Satyendar Jain, said currently 2,100 patients were admitted to different hospitals. There are about 5,000 extra beds available in hospitals -- 1,400 in private and 3,700 in government hospitals, he said.

The health department has declared Delhi government hospitals -- Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital, Satyawadi Raja Harishchandra Hospital and GTB Hospital -- as COVID-19 dedicated facilities.

In another order, it said five more hotels have been linked to existing coronavirus-dedicated hospitals to be used as extended COVID-19 facilities.

"The number of patients currently on the ventilator is 28 and we have more than 300 dedicated ventilators available. Our aim is to double the number of beds in the coming days in comparison to the number of patients right now," Jain said.

Sisodia also appealed to people not to panic as the "government has made all arrangements". The government also stressed on home quarantine to those having mild symptoms.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said more than 80 per cent of coronavirus patients either have no symptoms at all or show mild like slight fever or cough.

"Such patients do not need to get admitted into the hospital. They can stay home and look after themselves. We have made these guidelines to explain to patients what to do during home isolation and what precautions to take. One thing to keep in mind is -- do not panic. Most people recover from coronavirus easily," he said.

At the press conference Sisodia said people need not visit hospitals unless they have symptoms of the infection. He added that 80-90 per cent recovery was registered among the cases where patients were home quarantined.

"If people do not have symptoms but tested positive, there is no need to panic, or for the neighbours to get panicked. Such people can just isolate themselves and follow all precautions. Our doctors even offer counselling to them (over the phone)," he said.

The Delhi government also released a video explaining the process of home isolation and precautions people need to take. The video also seeks to build confidence among people who might be neighbour, found COVID-19 positive but is not symptomatic.

Meanwhile, the civic bodies said that in view of the increasing number of COVID-19 deaths, all the three corporations decided to allow cremation on wooden pyres also at Punjabi Bagh, Nigam Bodh Ghat, Panchkuiyan Road, Karkardooma cremation grounds and electric cremation at the Lodhi Road crematorium.