Cannot be said that COVID-19 cases have slowly and steadily reduced in the national capital: Delhi High Court

It cannot be said that the number of COVID-19 cases have slowly and steadily reduced in Delhi, said the Delhi High Court on Wednesday as it noted that the cases in the national capital shot up to 1,374 earlier this week. (Rakesh Malhotra vs GNCTD).It is a matter of great concern that though the number of COVID-19 cases were expected to climb down gradually or at least remain stable below 1,000 per day in the month of August, 2020, the daily COVID-19 cases that had touched 707 on 10.8.2020, 652 on 16.8.2020 and 787 on 17.8.2020, have shot up to 1,374 on 18.8.2020. In other words, it cannot be said that the number of COVID-19 cases have slowly and steadily reduced in Delhi.Delhi High Court.The Court thus said that there must be a concentrated focus on ramping up of lab testing in Delhi..The order was passed by a Division Bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad while dealing with a petition preferred by Advocate Rakesh Malhotra concerning the rate and status of COVID-19 testing in the city..The Court perused the status report submitted by the Delhi Government on the number of tests undertaken in the city from July 31 from August 17. .The Court noted that during this period, while the ratio of testing through Rapid Antigent Test (RAT) had steadily increased in, having virtually doubled, testing through RTPCR varied in the range of 2,927 to 6,015 tests with an average of less than 5,000 tests per day..It further noted that after an initial decline, the number of COVID-19 positive cases again rose to around 1,300 cases per day. .In response, the Delhi Government assured that the Court that it is doing everything in its power to ensure that the testing is ramped up to curb further spread of the infection..Delhi heading towards becoming the Corona Capital: Delhi HC allows private hospitals with ICMR approved labs to test patients for COVID-19.The Court has now directed the Delhi Government to file a status report indicating the testing arrangements made at the borders and construction sites in view of the resumption of construction/industrial activity. .A status report is also sought on sero-surveillance undertaken in the city to understand the status of the extent of the spread of infection..Delhi Government was represented by Additional Standing Counsel Stayakam. .Read the Order: