Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj on March 30 urged people experiencing flu-like symptoms and those visiting hospitals to wear masks as a precautionary measure as Covid-19 cases continue to rise in the national capital.
There is no cause to panic even though the city’s Covid-19 positive rate has increased recently, Bhardwaj said.
“Positivity rate (of Covid-19 cases) is higher than 10 per cent, but the number of tests are low. There is no need to panic. People with flu-like symptoms and those visiting hospitals should wear masks,” said the health minister while addressing media persons following a review meeting on the Covid-19 situation. Senior health department representatives, medical directors of state-run institutions, epidemiologists and virologists attended the meeting.
The meeting was held a day after Delhi’s Covid cases reached 300 for the first time since August 31, 2022, and the positivity rate increased to 13.89 percent. On March 29, two more deaths were linked to Covid. The city has seen an increase in daily cases over the past several days after a dramatic rise in H3N2 influenza cases in the country.
Bhardwaj said that genome sequencing of samples is also being done and so far nothing alarming has been found. Speaking on the recent deaths, the health minister stated that the elderly individuals had comorbid conditions and that coronavirus was not the main cause of death.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will convene a review meeting on the subject on March 31.
“Delhi Govt is taking concrete steps in view of the increasing cases of Corona. Along with increasing the number of corona tests, a mock drill is also being done. The Delhi government under the leadership of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is committed to prevent corona”, the minister tweeted.
