Delhi records 956 fresh COVID-19 cases, lowest in over 2 months

New Delhi, May 29

Delhi on Saturday recorded 956 fresh COVID-19 cases, the lowest in over two months, and 122 more fatalities while the positivity rate slipped to 1.19 per cent, according to health department data.

This is the first time since March 22, when 888 infections were recorded, that daily cases in Delhi have fallen below 1,000.

The 122 fresh fatalities pushed the death toll in Delhi to 24,073, the health department bulletin stated.

On Thursday, 1,072 COVID-19 cases and 117 deaths were recorded while the positivity rate was 1.53 per cent. On Friday, 1,141 cases and 139 fatalities were recorded while the positivity rate stood at 1.59 per cent.

Earlier on Saturday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal stressed that if new infections continue to decline, more activities will be allowed to open up in the City.

The process of lifting the lockdown gradually in the National Capital will begin from Monday, starting with resumption of construction activities and reopening of factories for a week, Kejriwal had announced on Friday.

The phase-wise unlocking process in Delhi will begin after over six weeks of lockdown enforced in view of the second wave of Covid-19.

“Delhi recorded around 900 cases in the last 24 hours. Cases have come down below 1000 and the infections decline, we will begin unlocking more activities. We want the economic activities to come on track,” Kejriwal said on the sidelines of an event.

Kejriwal visited the Delhi government’s drive-through Covid-19 vaccination centre at the Chhatrasal Stadium.

“People can come to this centre in a car or on a motrocycle. They are also coming on foot. As soon as we receive vaccines for the 18-44 age group, we will also start this for them,” he said.

The Delhi government has floated a global expression of interest (EOI) for procurement of Covid-19 vaccine on an urgent basis.

“We have done global tender and are hoping that some company comes. Different governments have done global tendering but the results have not been inspiring. If some company approaches us, it will be good. But what I understand is that world over companies want to talk to the Centre for procurement of vaccines,” he told reporters. PTI