Delhi on Tuesday recorded 1,537 new coronavirus cases with a positivity rate of 26.54%, the data shared by the city’s health department showed, reported PTI.

Five deaths were also reported. But, in a statement, the health department said that Covid-19 was the primary cause of death in two cases and that the finding of the virus in the other three was “incidental”.

The city currently has 5,714 active cases and 794 patients recovered from the disease in the past 24 hours, according to the data. Active cases refer to persons who have tested positive for Covid-19 and are currently undergoing treatment.

The department added that only 360 of the 7,964 beds in Covid-19 hospitals are occupied in the national capital.

The number of active coronavirus cases in Delhi have registered an increase of more than 430% in the last three weeks, PTI reported citing official data.

The number of active cases have increased from 932 on March 30 to 4,9756 on Monday.

India has been reporting a spurt in coronavirus cases over the last couple of weeks.

However, virologists and medical experts say that the rise in cases is not a cause for panic.

“There is nothing we can do except wear masks when there is a surge,” Dr Gagandeep Kang, virologist and professor at the department of gastrointestinal sciences, Christian Medical College, Vellore, told Scroll.

Epidemiologist Dr Chandrakant Lahariya said the focus should now be to co-exist safely with the virus. “Our approach should be to avoid a severe outcome because of any pathogen,” said Lahariya. “As a public health expert, I would try and protect vulnerable populations.”