2,700 beds for COVID-19 patients will be added in Delhi
Around 2,700 beds will be added at hospitals and facilities in Delhi in the next few days for COVID-19 patients, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia announced on Tuesday, assuring people that there is no need to panic. As the COVID-19 crisis deepened further, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal announced a six-day lockdown in Delhi from 10 pm on Monday till 5 am on April 26.
Most COVID-19 patients are recovering in home isolation: Sisodia
Kejriwal said that the six-day lockdown was necessary to deal with the rising number of COVID-19 cases as the city's health system was stretched to its limit. "In 2.5 weeks, bed count has gone up by three times in Delhi. In the next few days, 2,700 more beds will be arranged. Most of the COVID-19 patients are recovering in home isolation," Sisodia said.
Number of COVID-19 beds has gone up to 19,101: Sisodia
"I urge those who need hospitals to check the mobile app beforehand for bed availability and then proceed further. The number of COVID-19 beds in Delhi on April 3 was 6,071 which has gone up to 19,101 on April 20," Sisodia said.
Here is a breakdown of number of beds per hospital
"There are 320 beds in Burari Hospital, which will be increased to 800. The bed capacity at Ambedkar Nagar Hospital will be increased from 200 to 600. The beds at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital will be increased from 250 to 750," he said at a virtual press conference. "Around 250 beds will be added at Acharya Shree Bhikshu and DRDO's COVID-19 Center," Sisodia said.
A center of 500 beds at the Commonwealth Games Village
"The number of beds in the Satyawadi Raja Harishchandra Hospital of Narela will be increased from 200 to 400," the minister said. Sisodia, who is also the Nodal Health Minister of COVID-19 said, "Delhi government school will be connected to the LNJP hospital which will include 125 beds and a center of 500 beds will be set up in the Commonwealth Games Village."
Home isolation is an effective way to fight COVID-19: Sisodia
"All these beds will be ready in the next four to five days. There are about 2,500 beds that are still vacant in Delhi," Sisodia said. "People should not rush to hospitals in fear, but adopt home isolation as an effective model to treat COVID-19. Home isolation is the most effective way to fight the disease," the deputy chief minister said.
'Do not panic, follow all the rules of lockdown'
"During home isolation, doctors regularly keep in touch with people over the phone. If you have high fever or severe symptoms, then only go to hospitals," Sisodia said. He also appealed to the people not to panic and to follow all the rules of lockdown.
Action will be taken against hospitals that dispense misinformation
"Before going to a hospital, the people must check the status of bed availability in hospitals on the Delhi Corona App as it shall save their time," the deputy chief minister said. "If a hospital is showing false information on the app or refusing people despite having beds then action will be taken against that facility," he added.
Delhi recorded its highest single-day fatality count on Monday
Meanwhile, on Monday, Delhi logged its highest single-day fatality count as 240 more people succumbed to coronavirus-linked complications. The National Capital added 23,686 fresh cases to its caseload. The positivity rate now stands at 26.12%. Dr. Jugal Kishore, HoD community medicine at the Safdarjung Hospital, said, "The number of deaths could be higher in the ongoing wave as the health system is being overburdened."
