Delhi reported a surge of 13,500 new coronavirus cases in the highest single-day spike which has taken Delhi’s caseload to 7,36,788 total infections. Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has urged the central government to cancel the CBSE board exams.

Delhi CM Kejriwal said, “In the last 24 hours, the city saw a surge of 13,500 fresh Covid cases. At the peak of third Covid wave in November, Delhi had seen the biggest single-day surge of 8,500 cases. The fourth wave, as we all know, is much more dangerous. Youth and children are getting affected amid the fourth wave.”

He requested people to set out of homes only if necessary. He said, “I urge all of you to step out of homes only if absolutely necessary.”

On CBSE board exams the Aam Adami Party leader said the decision to conduct the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) exams should be reconsidered in view of the rising number of Covid-19 cases.

“Six lakh students in the city will appear for board exams. 1 lakh teachers will be on duty. Conducting board exams can lead to large scale spread of coronavirus. alternative methods of assessment can be explored. Students can be promoted on basis of either online exams or internal assessment. The board exams should be cancelled,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that the number of cases among those under the age of 45 was higher and they comprised 65 per cent of the caseload over the past 10-15 days.

He also appealed to all those over the age of 45 to get vaccinated. “The vaccine is free at government hospitals and many centres are open through the night for vaccination.”

The government is also attaching a few hotels and banquet halls with hospitals so that patients who are not serious can be admitted there. Kejriwal also said that doctors in hospitals will be assessing the hospitalisation needs of those admitted in hospitals already.

“Every patient in the hospital is being checked to see if they need hospitalisation or not. Those who can recover at home will be requested to go back. We will monitor you regularly. If you feel ill again, you will be brought back to the hospital. Please cooperate with doctors. We have to take care of the entire city. Every life is precious,” he said.

He also made an appeal to the people of the city to donate plasma for Covid patients. He said, “Once again, the daily demand for plasma has increased and there is very little plasma available in stock. I request those citizens of Delhi who have recently recovered from COVID to step forward and donate plasma.”

The Delhi government on Monday said that 14 private hospitals in Delhi have been made ‘full Covid-19 hospitals’ and asked them not to admit patients other than those infected with the coronavirus.

India has reported 1,61,736 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours taking the country’s tally to over 1.36 crore, according to data from the Union Health Ministry.