Sero-survey to determine Covid spread to begin today
Govt to set up ICUs beds in large scale at 2 hospitals
Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, on Friday, said that plasma therapy and providing pulse oxymeter to the patients recovering from corona are the two foremost steps to ensure there are no deaths due to Covid-19. He also said his government will set up ICU beds on a large scale at three state-run hospitals.
A serological survey — to undertake a comprehensive analysis of Covid19 and prepare a broad strategy to combat the pandemic — will be carried out in the national capital from Saturday.
The announcement came a day after Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla reviewed the implementation of various decisions on the coronavirus related situation in Delhi which were taken on June 21 in a meeting chaired by Union home minister Amit Shah.
With 3,460 new cases, the total patient count rose to 77,240 in the last 24 hours and with 63 deaths the total fatalities stand at 2,492. A total of 47,091 patients recovered in the city, which also includes
2,326 recoveries in the last 24 hours. There are 27,657 active cases in the city.
Addressing a digital press conference, Mr Kejriwal said that the number of coronavirus cases in the national capital is high but the situation is under control and there is no need to worry.
He also said that the Delhi government has increased testing by three times but positive cases have increased by around 3,000 per day only.
“Out of the total Covid19 patients, approximately 45,000 people have recovered. Delhi has been getting mild cases over the
past week, which is why out of the 13,500 total beds in hospitals Delhi has been using 6,000 Covid beds for the past week as most cases have mild symptoms and are recovering at their homes,” he added.
Mr Kejriwal further said that the Delhi government is also increasing the number of beds in the ICUs in GTB, LNJP, and Rajiv Gandhi Hospital for better treatment of people. “A Cabinet meeting was held where a decision to install 450 beds at Burari Hospital was taken, funds have also been sanctioned,” he said.
Mr Kejriwal emphasised that plasma therapy and providing pulse oxymeter to patients recovering from corona are the two foremost steps to ensure there are no deaths due to Covid.
“To ensure that there are no deaths from corona, we have taken two major steps. The first is plasma therapy, which you must have heard me mention in my briefings a few days back. Delhi was the first state in the nation where plasma therapy was used. The trials were conducted on 29 patients in the LNJP for the first time.
“The therapy yielded outstanding results on patients, after which we have gotten permission to conduct 200 more plasma therapy trials in Delhi. Amongst the government hospitals, LNJP and Rajiv Gandhi Hospital has gotten permission to conduct plasma therapy trials. Many private hospitals have also asked for permission to conduct plasma therapy,” said the chief minister.
According to Mr Kejriwal, patients under home isolation have been sent pulse oxymeters, which will act as their ‘Suraksha Kawach.’