For third day, Delhi reports 500 cases or more; CM says city will have more recovered patients soon

(Eds: Combining related stories)

New Delhi, May 21 () For the third consecutive day, Delhi saw the highest single-day spike of coronavirus cases on Thursday with 571 fresh infections being recorded and death toll nearing 200, even as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal exuded confidence that the city will soon have more COVID-19 recovered patients than active cases.

The previous highest spike in fresh cases -- 534 -- was recorded on Wednesday. On May 19, 500 fresh cases were reported.

This is the third consecutive day, when 500 or more fresh cases have been reported in a day in Delhi.

The death toll stands at 194, said a bulletin by the Health Department. It, however, added that the cumulative death figures refer to fatalities where primary cause of death was found to be COVID-19, as per the report of the Death Audit Committee on the basis of case sheets received from various hospitals.

The total number of coronavirus cases stand at 11,659 in the national capital, of which 5,898 are active cases, the bulletin added.

Kejriwal said soon the number of patients who have recovered from novel coronavirus will be more than the active cases in the national capital.

"Am so proud of our team of doctors and nurses who have provided the best possible treatment to our COVID patients. Delhi will soon have more recovered patients than the number of active cases," he said in a tweet.

In another development, the deputy superintendent of the Mandoli Jail in northeast Delhi tested positive for coronavirus.

The officer is currently under home quarantine. Contact tracing revealed that two jail staff and two inmates had come in contact with him, a senior jail official said.

The two inmates have been shifted to isolation cells while two other jail staffers have been home quarantined. They are all asymptomatic and their medical condition will be watched, he added.

With economic activities impacted due to coronavirus-forced lockdown, Lt Governor Anil Baijal wrote to Kejriwal for a committee to help people and businesses in these "tough times" and asked the DDA to explore measures for a moratorium on instalments, lease rent and licence fee.

According to a statement, the lieutenant governor said most sections of the society were facing challenges in cash flow management, making it difficult to pay instalments, allotment money, EMDs (earnest money deposit), lease rent and license fees among others.

"Lt Governor advised DDA to explore measures for moratorium on payments so that EMD is not forfeited and allotment is not cancelled in this time of distress," it said.

Baijal is also the chairman of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).

He directed the Delhi Home Department to take steps to explore the possibility of an automatic extension of the validity of licences for various categories like hotels, restaurants, guest houses and swimming pools which expired after March 1.

He advised DDA to use planning tools to stimulate the business environment by attracting investments and focusing on sectoral revival, the statement said.

"Dwarka, Narela and Rohini sub-cities can be revamped with focus on attracting investment in commercial, IT, and educational sectors through meticulous planning with special focus on vacant land pieces as low hanging fruits," the LG wrote.

On the migrants issue, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the Delhi government has sent 1.32 lakh people, including 1.20 lakh from Bihar and UP, to their home states through Shramik Special trains.

Over four lakh migrants stranded in Delhi have registered on Delhi government's website to go back to their hometowns in different states.

"So far around 1.32 lakh people have been sent through Shramik Special trains, in the special arrangements by Delhi government. These include 1.20 lakh from Bihar and Eastern UP districts," Sisodia said in a tweet.

Sisodia has also written a letter to the Ministry of Railways requesting 262 trains for sending migrants back to their states in the next four days.

Kejriwal had also requested the centre to increase the number of trains from Delhi to send maximum migrants back to their native states.

"We are also seeking permission from other states to send migrants back to their hometowns. As soon as we get the permit, we are sanctioning trains for those states," Sisodia had said.

Over 100 students hailing from Bihar, who were stuck in hostels at Jamia Millia Islamia due to the lockdown, left for their hometown in five special buses arranged by the varsity on Thursday, officials said.

Buses left for Katihar, Purnea, Muzaffarpur, Nalanda and Bhagalpur districts of Bihar, carrying around 130 students with a student group leader in each of the bus to coordinate during the journey, the varsity said. KND BUN AMP NIT PR SLB AAR AAR