In the past 24 hours, Delhi has recorded 63 new Covid-19 cases, marking the highest daily count since May last year, amid a resurgence of infections not only in the capital but also in several other northern states including Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar. Over the last 15 days, Delhi has reported a total of 459 cases, a notable increase from 191 cases in the preceding fortnight and 73 cases in the 15-day period before that. Similarly, Rajasthan, where Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma has tested positive, has witnessed a surge with 226 cases reported in the last 15 days, up from 96 and 27 in the two previous fortnights, according to data from the Union health ministry.
The last instance of Delhi surpassing 50 daily Covid cases was in May 2023, during the waning phase of a nationwide surge that peaked in mid-April. Although Covid cases had risen again earlier this winter, particularly in December and January, the numbers were comparatively lower. The highest daily count during this resurgence was 841 reported across India on December 30, with most cases concentrated in southern states like Kerala. However, there is now a noticeable spike in the northern states, with Uttar Pradesh and Bihar also witnessing an increase. In UP, cases rose from just 12 in the 15-day period from January 20 to February 4 to 164 in the latest fortnight (February 19 to March 5). Similarly, Bihar reported 103 cases, up from 14 in the preceding fortnight.
In contrast, Maharashtra has experienced a relatively stable case count over the past three fortnights, with 496 cases reported in the latest period compared to 466 and 555 in the previous two. Experts attribute these periodic surges to Covid becoming endemic, although the specific strains circulating in the northern states are yet to be identified