ICU Beds, Oxygen Plants: Kejriwal Announces Preparedness for Omicron Variant

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday, 30 November, addressed the media on action plan and preparedness of the Delhi government in the backdrop of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

"We have prepared 30,000 oxygen beds, out of which 10,000 are ICU beds. Around 6,800 more ICU beds are under construction which will be ready be February," he said

"We have also made arrangements to be able to construct 100 oxygen beds in each municipal ward with a notice of two weeks. There are 270 wards, so we will be able to prepare additional 27,000 beds in a notice of two weeks," he added.

"There are 32 types of medicines that are used during the treatment of COVID-19, for which a buffer stock of two months is being ordered," Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal further said that all hospitals in Delhi put together have around 750 MT of oxygen capacity and that additional storage capacity of 442 MT is currently being prepared.

Kejriwal further announced that the state government has ordered 6,000 empty cylinders from china to be filled with oxygen whenever needed.

"I pray that the variant does not come to India, but if it does, it is the responsibility of the state government to be prepared," he said.

The announcements by Kejriwal came after he held a review meeting with the relevant authorities over the preparedness for the Omicron variant earlier in the day.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told the Rajya Sabha earlier on Tuesday that no case of Omicron variant has been detected in the country so far. He added that the COVID-19 situation in the country is under control but measures are being taking to prevent it from spreading further.

At least 18 countries have reported cases of the Omicron variant so far, with several nations imposing travel restrictions on citizens from 'at risk' nations.

In India, several states along with the Union government have issued their own travel guidelines over concerns of the new variant.