Experts have said the current third wave of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic in the national capital, the worst so far, could last for another four to five days, according to Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain on Monday. “It seems Delhi’s Covid-19 cases are at peak now and experts say it can last for four to five days. Delhi’s overall death ratio is 1.59%,” Jain said.
He attributed the rising number of Covid-19 cases to the fact that many people were still not wearing face masks. “Many people aren’t wearing masks. Most cases are from the working class,” he said, adding that 110 intensive care unit (ICU) beds were added to the total capacity of government hospitals.
On Sunday, the minister pointed out that the national capital had hit the peak of the third wave of Covid-19 and said that the increase in the number of cases could be due to aggressive testing and contact-tracing.
The national capital on Sunday recorded its highest-ever spike of 7,745 Covid-19 cases in 24 hours. As many as 438,529 people have been infected with the disease in Delhi and 6,989 people have lost their lives so far. Meanwhile, the national Covid-19 tally climbed to 8,553,657 on Monday morning, according to the Union health ministry website. The death toll in the country due to the viral disease stands at 126,611.
On the indefinite strike of the Delhi municipal staff proposed to start on Monday, Jain said that since MCD employees get paid despite being on strike, the civic body must have no shortage of money. “It’s beyond my understanding how MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) mayors pay salaries of employees, whenever there’s a strike. This shows they have the money. In my view, they are planning this all and doing it deliberately,” Jain said. The strike will be organised in protest against non-payment of dues to all sections and pensioners.
