Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in the national capital, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday, 12 April, held a review meeting, in which it was decided that the number of beds will be increased in hospitals.
It was also decided that many government and private hospitals will be made fully COVID hospitals once again, reported ANI.
CM Kejriwal urged everyone to cooperate and follow COVID protocols, and reminded them to not rush to a hospital unless necessary.
He also asked people to get vaccinated if eligible for it.
Meanwhile, on Monday, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said that the state government is ramping up medical infrastructure after the recent surge seen in the national capital, stating that 5,000 beds have been added in the last week itself, according to PTI.
He added that about 50 percent of COVID beds are still available in hospitals and that while ventilator beds may be occupied, very few patients are making use of a ventilator.
He further said that he has written to the Centre to scale up COVID beds in its hospitals in Delhi as well, reported PTI.
Lockdown Not a Solution: Kejriwal
On Sunday, Kejriwal said that he has requested the Centre to remove age restrictions on vaccination.
The Delhi chief minister said the Centre should open vaccination for all ages. "People below the age of 45 should also be vaccinated to break the cycle of the coronavirus," he said.
While noting that a full lockdown is not the solution to tackle the pandemic, Kejriwal said that the current surge in COVID-19 cases is worse than what Delhi saw during the third peak.
Kejriwal said that certain restrictions have been put in place to curb the recent surge in cases.
He also urged people to go for home isolation and not get hospitalised in case their condition is not severe. “If you occupy a bed in a hospital which could have been used for a person whose condition is severe, then the health infrastructure comes under stress and none can say, Delhi may need lockdown then," Kejriwal was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
He also asked people to head towards government hospitals instead of private ones. "The government is focusing on hospital management at present. Don't run towards private hospitals. the beds are less there. Please go to government hospitals," he was quoted as saying by NDTV.
The Delhi government on Saturday had issued a fresh set of guidelines and restrictions to curb the spread of the virus, banning all kinds of social, political, sporting, entertainment, academic, cultural, and religious festivals and gatherings, as well as imposing ceilings on weddings and funerals. Only 20 people will be allowed to attend funerals and 50 will be allowed at weddings, the government said.
Delhi on Sunday recorded 10,774 fresh COVID-19 cases in the highest single-day spike so far as well as 48 fresh deaths.
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