Delhi's COVID-19 cases declining since third wave on 10 Nov, Arvind Kejriwal tells PM

New Delhi: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said the high severity of the third wave of coronavirus pandemic in the National Capital is due to many factors, pollution being an important one. At a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kejriwal said that Delhi witnessed the peak of 8,600 COVID-19 cases on 10 November during the third wave. Since then the daily cases and the positivity rate has seen a decline, sources quoted as Kejriwal as saying. The chief minister hoped that the trend would continue in the National Capital. “The high severity of the third wave is due to many factors. Pollution is an important factor. The chief minister sought the prime minister’s intervention to get rid of the pollution caused by stubble-burning in adjoining states, especially in view of the recent bio-decomposer technique,” a source said. Kejriwal also sought the reservation of the additional 1,000 ICU beds in the central government-run hospitals in Delhi for coronavirus patients till the third wave of the infection lasts in the city, the source said. Modi on Tuesday interacted via video-conferencing with the chief ministers of the states that are witnessing a surge in the number of coronavirus cases to review the pandemic situation. Delhi recorded 4,454 fresh COVID-19 cases and a positivity rate of 11.94 percent on Monday, while 121 more fatalities pushed the toll due to 8,512. This was the sixth time in 12 days that the daily number of deaths crossed the 100-mark in the city. Authorities reported 121 deaths due to COVID-19 on Sunday, 111 on Saturday, 118 on Friday, 131 on 18 November (the highest till date) and 104 on 12 November.