Delhi Covid-19 Cases: In the last 24 hours, 77,103 samples were tested in Delhi (File)

New Delhi:

Delhi today reported 1,491 new cases of coronavirus as the positivity rate in the national capital dipped below 2% to 1.93% – a nearly nine-week low. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), a Covid positivity rate below 5 per cent is considered to be within the safe zone.

130 Covid patients died in the last 24 hours in Delhi – the lowest number of fatalities since April 15.

The national capital logged less than 2,000 new Covid cases for the fourth consecutive day today. Experts have attributed the dip in cases to the lockdown in the capital which will be in place till 5 am on May 31. While extending the lockdown by a week in Delhi on May 23, Arvind Kejriwal had said the unlock process will also be slow, underscoring the need for caution as the city struggled to bring down the positivity rate.

In the last 24 hours, 77,103 samples were tested in Delhi while 1,89,39,206 tests have been conducted so far. The national capital has reported 14,21,477 cases of coronavirus since the outbreak of the pandemic with 23,695 deaths. 3,952 patients have recovered in the last 24 hours, taking the recovery rate to 96.98%. Delhi now has 19,148 active cases.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today inaugurated the capital’s first drive-through vaccination facility at Vegas Mall in Dwarka’s Sector 14. The facility becomes functional at a time when the vaccination drive in Delhi has been impeded by a shortage of shots.

According to the Delhi government’s bulletin issued Tuesday, the state government has run out of Covaxin shots for frontline workers and those above the age of 45 and has 13 days’ Covishield stock left.

India today set a new record with the highest number of Covid tests conducted in the last 24 hours – 22.17 lakh. The country registered 2.08 lakh fresh coronavirus infections and 4,157 deaths Wednesday. So far, 3.11 lakh people have died of Covid in the country.

The country, hit by a devastating second wave of coronavirus, is grappling to vaccinate people amid a shortage of domestic vaccines while continuing to fight a new challenge of Black Fungus in a large number of recovered patients. 20 crore doses of vaccines have been administered so far with the government aiming to vaccinate all adults by year-end.