Delhi govt asks Centre to increase beds in central hospitals amid Covid spike

The AAP-led government in Delhi has urged Centre to increase the number of beds in the central government-run hospitals across the city in view of surge in coronavirus cases.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain on Monday cited a shortfall of beds in the Centre-run hospitals and appealed to the union government to provide at least over 3,000 additional beds.

“There are only 1,090 beds available in the hospitals under Centre in Delhi. There were more than 4,000 beds available in the central government hospitals across Delhi during the peak of Covid-19 cases in November last year. Have appealed to the Centre to bring the number of beds to this level,” Satyendra Jain said.

IS THERE A SHORTAGE OF HOSPITAL BEDS IN DELHI?

Amid a resurgence in Covid-19 cases in Delhi, over 50 hospitals in the national capital have run out of ICU and ventilator beds, government data till 5 pm showed on Sunday.

Of the 1,153 ventilator beds in government-run and private hospitals, only 307 are available for Covid-19 patients, according to the city government’s “Delhi Corona” application. This accounts for 73.37 per cent of the total available beds with ventilators.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in a press briefing, said lockdown will have to be imposed in the city if the “hospital system collapses” in the city.

“We are completely focusing on the hospital management. In the last few days, some people came to me with messages saying that no beds are available in any hospital. Delhi Corona app is still working, and you can check there which hospital beds are available,” Arvind Kejriwal said.

“Please go to the hospital only when there is a need or else the beds will fall short. If hospital beds fall short then there will be problems. If there is no shortage of beds in hospitals then lockdown would not need to be imposed in Delhi. Lockdown will only be imposed in Delhi if the hospital system collapses,” Arvind Kejriwal said.

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COVID SURGE IN DELHI

Delhi broke all records as city registered 10,774 fresh infections and 48 more fatalities on Sunday.

CM Kejriwal said the current wave of the pandemic in Delhi is “very dangerous” and is spreading at such a rapid rate that it has left many people baffled.

“Cases have escalated in a big way in the last 10-15 days. And, in the past 24 hours, the city has recorded 10,732 cases. The situation is very serious,” Kejriwal said.

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