The national capital today recorded 1,575 coronavirus infections (Covid-19), which took its caseload to 6,01,150, according to the Delhi government’s latest health bulletin.

These cases were indentified from 64,069 tests, with the positivity rate coming down to 2.46 per cent from yesterday’s 3.42 per cent. Delhi reported 61 fresh Covid fatalities, which pushed its toll to 9,874, the health bulletin said.

The city’s coronavirus patients who recovered during the past 24 hours numbered 3,307, which raised the cumulative count of such recoveries to 5,72,523.

Delhi now had 18,753 active coronavirus cases, which include 11,541 patients getting treatment under home isolation.

The number of containment zones in the city stood at 6,430, the bulletin added.

Meanwhile, Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain said the Covid positivity rate had been less than 5 per cent for the past seven days, which was a sign of relief as it indicated that the third wave of coronavirus was on the decline in the city.

Delhi’s positivity rate has seen a reduction of 80 per cent since 7 November. Thanking everyone concerned, especially the frontline and healthcare workers, Jain said Delhi would not have been able to achieve this without their support.

The minister said there were 2,463 coronavirus cases in Delhi yesterday and the positivity rate was 3.42 per cent. The positivity rate has been constantly declining. There were 50 deaths yesterday, which was the lowest figure since 1 November. The positivity rate of RTPCR tests was hovering around 6-6.5 per cent. The overall positivity rate has come down to less than 3 per cent as compared to 15.26 per cent on 7 November, he added.

“We can say that the third wave in Delhi is fading away. However, it is not over yet. I sincerely thank all the frontline and health workers who have been rigorously active in the course of this pandemic, putting their lives at stake to provide service to citizens. I applaud Delhi’s citizens for their continued support. I request all Delhi’ites to continue taking all the necessary precautions to successfully combat the third wave,” Jain said.

On Covid vaccines, he said, “More than 2 lakh registrations had been done for the first trial of the vaccine in Delhi. The priority will be healthcare and frontline workers. After which the focus will be on the old and subsequently the entire population of Delhi. The Delhi government is fully capable of rolling out the vaccine to the entire population of the city. We are prepared with storage facilities too.”

Delhi’s Covid positivity rate has been declining over the last couple of weeks. It was reportedly 8.65 per cent on 26 November. It stood at 4.96 per cent, 4.78 per cent, 4.2 per cent, and 3.68 per cent and 3.15 per cent on 3 December, 4 December, 5 December, 6 December and 7 December.