COVID-19:Recovery rate rises to over 90 pc; Processions during Ganesh Chaturthi, Muharram prohibited

The recovery rate from COVID-19 in Delhi improved to more than 90 per cent on Sunday while 652 fresh cases were recorded, even as the state disaster management authority has prohibited pandals and processions on religious occasions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As many as 1,310 recoveries were reported in the last 24 hours. The death toll due to the disease increased to 4,196 with eight more fatalities during the period. This is the second time in a week that the daily number of deaths has dropped below 10, according to the Delhi government's health bulletins.

On August 11, Delhi had recorded eight COVID-19 deaths. The national capital recorded 14 deaths each on Wednesday and Thursday, 11 on Friday and 10 on Saturday.

The number of fresh cases (652) on Sunday is the lowest after July 27, when Delhi recorded 613 cases. The number of recoveries (1,310) on Sunday is also the highest since July 27, when 1,497 patients recovered from the virus.

The city has so far recorded a total of 1,52,580 cases, of which 1,37, 561 have recovered or been discharged -- a recovery rate of 90.15 per cent. There are 10,823 active cases, of which 5,762 are under home isolation.

As many as 3,024 RTPCR, CBNAAT and TrueNat tests and 7,685 rapid-antigen tests were conducted. A total of 13,02,120 tests have been conducted till date -- 68,532 tests per million population, it said.

The positivity rate in the last 24 hours stood at 6.08 per cent. In the last one week, the number of new infections has grown by less than one per cent everyday.

In an order issued on August 14 to all district magistrates, DCPs and other authorities concerned, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority said that people will be encouraged to celebrate festivals at their homes in the city.

Chief Secretary Vijay Dev said all DMs and district commissioners of police will hold meetings with religious leaders before any festival that has the possibility of a large gathering to get their cooperation to maintain law and order, harmony and also to sensitise people to comply with guidelines.

Dev, who is also the chairman of DDMA's state executive committee, said it should be ensured that the crowd does not gather in any religious or social places.

"During Ganesh Chaturthi Festival, no idol of Lord Ganesha shall be set up in the tent/pandal/ public place, nor any kind of permission shall be granted for procession... similarly, no permission shall be granted for procession/tajiya during Moharram," the order stated.

Sufficient police force will be deployed in all communally sensitive areas and containment zones across the city, it said.

The chief secretary directed officials to make all necessary arrangements for checking at all public places, bus stands, railway stations, sensitive and religious places before any festival.

Due arrangements should be made for deployment of dog squads, anti-terrorist squads and bomb disposal teams for intensive search and checking at religious and public places as per requirement, it stated.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal turned 52 on Sunday and visited Hanuman Temple in Connaught Place along with his wife and prayed for good health of Delhiities amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The AAP national convener, while addressing party volunteers on Independence Day on Saturday, had said he would not celebrate his birthday and urged them to send their wishes from home.

There were no festivities at the chief minister's residence in north Delhi's Civil Lines area, unlike previous years when he was visited by his party leaders, workers and admirers.

"Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal visited Hanuman temple and worshipped the deity and performed Abhisheka. He prayed for the good health of Delhi people," CM office's office tweeted with pictures of Kejriwal and his wife Sunita at the temple.

In a tweet, Kejriwal on Sunday said the Aam Aadmi Party will set up centres for testing saturation of oxygen content in blood in 30,000 villages across the country.

Kejriwal said he has already received a commitment for 30,000 oximeters.

"Already received commitments for 30,000 oxymeters. Am overwhelmed. Will now set up 'oxygen jaanch kendra' in 30,000 villages. Commitments still pouring in. Will help set it up in more villages. Thank you donors. We will train village youth and give them oxymeters to set up oxy kendras," he said in a tweet.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, patients suffering from critical diseases like cancer and those requiring surgeries are delaying hospital visits and thereby endangering their health and even risking their lives, according to some doctors.

A number of medical practitioners said they have even lost patients who could have survived or their situation salvaged had they reported to hospitals in time.

Dr Mandeep S Malhotra, Head of Department - Head, Neck and Breast Oncoplasty at Fortis Hospital Vasant Kunj, said two of his patients -- an IAS officer and an IT consultant, both aged 45 -- had palpable breast lumps in March. Due to fear of COVID-19, they neither reported to the hospital nor to their gynaecologists or family doctors and are now in Stage 4 of breast cancer.

Doctors say patients are even delaying simple surgeries like gall bladder stone removal which could lead to major issues in the long run.