Delhi nears 29,000-mark, death toll mounts to 812
SURGE On Sunday, Delhi reported 1,282 fresh cases and no death in past 24 hrs
nNEWDELHI: The number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in the national capital rose to 28,936 with 1,282 fresh infections, while the death toll climbed to 812, according to the health bulletin issued by the Delhi government on Sunday.
The bulletin stated that there are 17,125 active cases, while 10,999 people have either been cured or discharged or have migrated to other states.
Delhi had recorded its highest single-day spike in fresh cases—1,513—on June 3.
The five-member committee formed by the Delhi government to augment healthcare infrastructure and strengthen the city’s overall preparedness of hospitals to battle Covid-19 has projected that Delhi is likely to see at least one lakh Covid-19 cases by the end of June.
According to Dr Mahesh Verma, the chairman of the committee, “We have submitted our report to the government recommending they make an additional facility of 15,000 beds.”
He added that Delhi would need about 42,000 beds by July 15.
The Delhi government on Sunday issued an order appointing round-the-clock officers in all private hospitals with more than 50 beds in the city to ensure that each of them reserves 20% of their beds for Covid-19 patients and none of them admits patients with mild or no symptoms, who can be quarantined at home.
“The undersigned (Delhi’s health secretary Padmini Singla) directs that all allopathic hospitals owned by the Delhi government or run under autonomous mode shall appoint one nursing officer in each private hospital round the clock (24x7)… The concerned private hospital management shall provide a separate room for the officer (sic),” read the order, which HT has seen.
The order states that the decision was taken on two grounds – first, the rule reserving 20% beds for Covid-19 patients is adhered to, and, second, to ensure that patients with mild or no symptoms are not admitted without a doctor’s advice.
The decision comes a day after chief minister Arvind Kejriwal warned private hospitals in the city against doing so and redflagged alleged malpractices in the garb of artificial bed crisis.
Sunday’s order assigns 68 officers in the 10 fully Covid-19 dedicated private hospitals in the city as well as those that have so far notified the reservation of 20% beds under the government order.
Earlier, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia had warned that private hospitals failing to follow the order would be converted into full-fledged Covid-19 hospitals.
The government on Sunday issued another order setting up helpdesks in all government and private hospitals for the hasslefree admission of Delhi residents, in adherence to the chief minister’s announcement earlier in the day.