COVID-19 cases rise to 152 in Delhi

With 32 people testing positive for COVID-19, the total number of coronavirus cases in the national capital climbed to 152 on Wednesday, the Delhi government said.

These cases include 53 people who took part in a religious congregation in south Delhi's Nizamuddin area last month, it said.

By Tuesday night, the number of coronavirus cases in the city stood at 120.

At least four doctors of government hospitals are among those who tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, officials said.

These including two doctors from Safdarjung Hospital and one each from Sardar Patel Hospital and Delhi State Cancer Institute, they said.

The COVID-19 patients are admitted at various hospitals like LNJP Hospital, GTB Hospital, RML Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital and Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital (RGSSH), the Delhi health department said.

Sources said a person suspected to have contracted COVID-19 died at RGSSH, but his sample report has "come negative".

Earlier, in an online briefing, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said 536 people have been admitted to hospitals and 1,810 sent to quarantine facilities from the Nizamuddin area, where at least 2,000 people attended a Tablighi Jamaat congregation between March 1-15.

"Of the total cases, one person is on ventilator, two on oxygen supply and rest are stable. The outbreak situation in Delhi seems to be under control," he said.

The chief minister said some patients are behaving very aggressively and one tried to commit suicide at RGSSH on Tuesday.

Security will be stepped for both doctors and patients, he said.

The 152 cases include six patients who have been discharged, one who migrated out of the country and two deaths.

According to the health department, 51 of these patients are people who had travelled abroad; 29 came in contact with affected persons; and 53 stayed at the Tablighi Jamaat Markaz (headquarters) in Nizamuddin.

Delhi Police on Monday cordoned off a major area in Nizamuddin West after several people who attended the congregation showed symptoms of coronavirus.

The total number of COVID-19 samples sent for testing till date stands at 2,621, of which reports for 2,451 have been received, the health department said in a statement.

As many as 22,135 people who came in contact with affected persons are under home quarantine and 3,528 have completed their 14-day quarantine, it said.

(Image - AP)