Delhi opens huge cardboard-bed hospital to combat coronavirus
I just 10 days ew Delhi has set up one of the world’s largest hospitals to fight coronavirus, with 10,000 cardboard beds installed.
The number of infections in India passed 500,000 this weekend, with more than 16,000 deaths now recorded.
ew Delhi, with a population of25 million, is the worst-hit city in India, having registered over 83,000 cases.
Authorities have deployed 10,000 beds on the premises of the Radha Soami religious centre on the outskirts of the city, senior official BM Mishra said on Monday.
While 2,000 beds were already staffed by the requisite doctors and nurses, the facility will be fully operational by July 5.
“The beds are light but sturdy, have a two-year warranty and can hold up to a 300-kilogram load. They are waterproof and cost-effective, at about 1,200 rupees (16 dollars) each.”
“The beds are easy to assemble and were manufactured in no time. Because of this we were able to get this facility started in 10 days’ time, whereas other manufacturers would take at least twice the time,” Mishra told dpa.
The manufacturers claim the most important thing about the bed is that the virus only stays on the surface of the cardboard for 24 hours, media reports said.
India’s largest Covid-19 care facility, reportedly the size of 22 football fields, will treat “mild to moderate” coronavirus patients and will be operated by the paramilitary IndoTibetan Border Force, which guards the India-China border.
“This centre’s air-conditioning totalling 18,000 tons is unique in that it will use 20-per-cent fresh air and its flow and ventilation has been worked out to reduce ambient viral load,” Mishra said.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said facilities had been increased on a war footing and there were no longer any shortages of hospital beds after authorities held emergency meetings on dealing with the outbreak.