We Don't Have Enough COVID-19 Doses To Vaccinate All Above 18: Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain

A day after India started its registration process for the COVID-19 vaccine for all above 18, Delhi's Health Minister said that the city doesn't have enough vaccines.

As India is set to enter the third phase of vaccination against novel coronavirus, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Thursday said the city does not have sufficient doses of COVID-19 vaccine for the inoculation of those in the 18-44 age group.

'Delhi Doesn't Have Enough COVID-19 Vaccine Doses'

The minister, however, said preparations to give jabs to this category have been completed. "At present, we don't have vaccines. We have requested the companies to provide it," Jain told reporters when asked if there were enough vaccines available for the 18-44 age group. "We will tell you in a day or two," he replied to another query about starting the inoculation drive for this category on May 1.

Vaccines Free For All Above 18 In Delhi Arvind Kejriwal

He also said that the manufacturers are yet to provide a schedule of vaccine supply to the Delhi government. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday had said that everybody aged above 18 would be administered anti-coronavirus vaccines free of cost in Delhi.

He had said his government had approved the procurement of 1.34 crore vaccine doses from various manufacturers. Jain ascribed the dip in the number of testing over the few days to the restricted movement of people due to the lockdown.

Health authorities in the capital have been conducting around 75,000 tests a day over the last few days. Before that, the average number of tests was around 1 lakh.

On the opposition's claim about a big difference in data related to deaths compiled at crematoriums and that released by the Delhi government, Jain, said, "This is not the time to play politics. They had raised the issue six months ago also. Everything was fine." "Who has the right to hide the number of deaths? Everything is being done in a transparent manner in Delhi," he added.

The minister said there were a few discrepancies in the health bulletin issued on Wednesday night and these have been rectified.

Delhi Records Nearly 26k COVID-19 Cases

Delhi recorded 368 more COVID-19 deaths and 25,986 cases with a positivity rate of 31.76 per cent, according to the latest bulletin issued by the city health department. This was the seventh day on the trot that Delhi had recorded over 300 deaths due to coronavirus.

The city had reported 381 deaths on Tuesday, the highest since the pandemic began a year ago, 380 on Monday, 350 on Sunday, 357 on Saturday, 348 on Friday and 306 on Thursday. The national capital had recorded 24,149 cases on Tuesday, 20,201 on Monday, 22,933 on Sunday, 24,103 on Saturday, 24,331 on Friday, 26,169 on Thursday, and 24,638 last Wednesday.

The positivity rate was 32.72 per cent on Tuesday, 35.02 per cent on Monday, 30.21 per cent on Sunday, 32.27 per cent on Saturday, 32.43 per cent on Friday, 36.24 per cent on Thursday -- the highest so far -- and 31.28 per cent last Wednesday.

As per the latest health bulletin, the COVID-19 infection tally in Delhi stands at 10,53,701, the death toll is 14,616 and the number of active cases is 99,752.