AAP Govt Says Covid Spike Linked To Bad Air, Winter

Blaming the recent spike in COVID-19 cases to a combined effect of the festive season, decrease in temperature and increased pollution, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Saturday said that people have also started giving less importance to wearing face masks.

This comes a day after the national capital reported 5,891 new COVID-19 cases, the highest number in a single day, taking the total count of cases to 3,81,644. It is the third consecutive day that the the city has reported over 5,000 new cases.

“It is a combined effect of the festive season, decrease in temperature and increased pollution. The experts had also suggested that at this time COVID-19 cases could rise. People are also giving less importance to wearing face masks,” Jain told reporters here.

He said that the people are fed up with COVID-19 and taking precautions over six to seven months and urged everyone to continue following safety measures like wearing masks and washing hands, etc to prevent the spread of the virus.

“We had increased the ICU bed capacity in the city by around 1,000. We had also reserved 80 per cent of beds for COVID-19 patients but the court intervened and stayed the decision. Currently, around 1,200 of the total 2,900 ICU beds are vacant,” Jain said.

“Masks will protect people not only from the COVID-19 but air pollution as well,” he added.

Speaking about removing the 20 people limit on DTC buses, Jain said, “It is not a problem if people are wearing face masks. However, if people are not wearing face masks, even 20 people is too many. We have not entirely removed the upper limit. Only as many people will be allowed to board the bus as many seats there are available.”

Meanwhile, the air quality in the national capital has dipped owing to stubble burning in the neighbouring states including Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. (ANI)