New Delhi:
A five-member panel constituted by the Delhi government has suggested that the health infrastructure of the city should be used only for treating residents of the national capital, in view of the raging COVID-19 crisis, sources said on Saturday.
The suggestion comes in the backdrop of Delhi recording over 1,000 coronavirus cases daily for the past few days and the AAP government fending itself against allegations of lack of hospital beds and other facilities.
The panel, headed by Indraprastha University vice-chancellor Dr Mahesh Verma, has submitted its report to the government in which it has said that if Delhi health infrastructure is open for non-residents, all beds will be occupied within just three days, according to the sources.
An official said that the government will soon take a decision on the report of the panel, constituted earlier this week.
The other members of panel are: Dr Sunil Kumar, the medical director of GTB Hospital; Dr Arun Gupta, president of Delhi Medical Council; Dr R K Gupta, former president of Delhi Medical Association; and Dr Sandeep Budhiraja, the group medical director of Max Hospital.
The Delhi government had asked the panel to guide it on healthcare infrastructure augmentation and overall preparedness of hospitals to battle COVID-19 in the national capital.
The panel was also asked to guide the government on any other area where strengthening of infrastructure is required to better manage the pandemic in Delhi.
Earlier this week, the government had directed that asymptomatic COVID-19 patients and those having mild symptoms be discharged from hospitals within 24 hours of admission, and district surveillance officers should be reported.
The government had warned hospitals that non-compliance will be viewed seriously and invite legal action “without further notice”.
On June 1, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced sealing of Delhi’s borders for a week in the wake of rising numbers of coronavirus cases in the national capital.
The Delhi government had received over 7.5 lakh suggestions from people on whether the borders should be reopened and health services of hospitals be restricted to the treatment of only Delhiites, according to an official statement Friday evening.
Sources in the government had said on Friday that the borders can be reopened, but services of the Delhi government-run health facilities may be reserved only for the people of the national capital.
However, health services in the Centre-run hospitals may be available for people belonging to other states.
-1,320 fresh COVID cases in Delhi take tally to over 27K; death toll climbs to 761-
Delhi recorded 1,320 fresh coronavirus cases on Saturday, taking the COVID-19 tally in the city to over 27,500, and the death toll due to the disease mounted to 761, authorities said.
The highest spike in fresh cases — 1,513 — was recorded on June 3.
In a bulletin issued on Saturday, the Delhi health department said the death toll from coronavirus infection has risen to 761 and the total number of cases mounted to 27,654.
A total of 53 fatalities were reported on June 5, which took place between May 25 and June 5, the bulletin said, adding that 20 of these deaths took place on June 3 and 19 on June 4.
It, however, said the cumulative death figures refer to fatalities where the primary cause of death was found to be COVID-19, as per the report of the Death Audit Committee on the basis of case sheets received from various hospitals.
On Friday, the total number of cases stood at 26,334 including 708 deaths.
With fresh 1,320 cases, the total number of coronavirus cases in Delhi has climbed to 27,654.
Meanwhile, the Delhi government on Saturday ordered that suspected COVID-19 patients, falling in moderate to severe categories, cannot be denied admission by any hospital in Delhi.
An order has also been issued to procure and stock sufficient supplies of surgical consumables, oxygen masks and all necessary accessories required for oxygen therapy, PPE kits, gloves, masks, etc. in view of the surge in the number of positive cases of COVID-19, officials said.
Besides, an order has been issued regarding “follow up of all the laboratory confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 through the continuum of care till the outcome of the patients with detailed key functions and responsibilities of each dedicated nodal officer nominated at district level,” they said.
Also, an office memorandum has been issued regarding ”Clinical Management protocol for Adult Patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection” using best practices, ICMR revised national clinical management guidelines and available evidence for patient care, prepared by the Department of Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College here, the bulletin said.
As many as 10,664 patients have recovered, been discharged or migrated so far, while there are 16,229 active cases, the Delhi health department said.
A total of 2,46,873 COVID-19 tests have been conducted till date, it said.
Total number of COVID-19 positive patients under home isolation stands at 11,267, it said. As many as 176 patients in total are on ventilators or in the ICU.
The number of containment zones in the city on Saturday rose to 169, from 154 on Friday.
