Covid cases rising, but situation under control: Kejriwal

NEW Delhi: A week after partially lifting lockdown restrictions in the national capital, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday addressed the media and said that the coronavirus situation in the city is under control, although cases are rising.

The chief minister said that the situation would have been worrying if the Covid-19 death toll was high in the national capital or most positive cases were severe in nature.

The chief minister said that most new cases of coronavirus are either showing mild symptoms or are asymptomatic. Over 3,000 active cases are currently being treated at home.

“Patients with mild symptoms or the asymptomatic ones are treated at home and are not admitted in hospitals. There are 3,414 such Covid-19 patients who are getting treated at home,” Kejriwal said.

The Delhi CM said that relaxations in lockdown were announced in Delhi on May 17 after which the administration expected a rise in Covid-19 cases. “A week later, I can say that the situation is under control and there is nothing to panic,” the chief minister said.

He said in the past week, the national capital reported around fresh 3,500 Covid-19 cases while nearly 1,500 patients have recovered.

“Fresh cases are being reported but patients are also recovering and going home,” he said.

Kejriwal stated that due to most cases being mild or asymptomatic, the load of Covid-19 patients in hospitals is not that severe.

“As many as 1,750 Covid-19 patients were admitted in hospitals on May 17. The figure has risen to 2,000 at present. Only 250 new patients have occupied beds in across various hospitals in one week,” he said.