1,400 to 2,000 beds to be readied for COVID-19 patients in Delhi in two days: Kejriwal

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced that 1,400 to 2,000 beds will be readied for COVID-19 patients in the city in the next two days, as the city grappled with a shortage of oxygen and beds amid a surge in coronavirus cases. He visited the Yamuna Sports Complex and Commonwealth Games Village to inspect the progress being made in setting up COVID care centres there.

Delhi on Sunday recorded the biggest jump in its daily COVID-19 tally with 25,462 fresh cases, while the positivity rate shot up to 29.74 per cent, meaning almost every third sample being tested in the city is turning out to be positive. Deputy Chief Minister and nodal minister for COVID Manish Sisodia and Health Minister Satyendar Jain also visited various hospitals and facilities.

"We are arranging maximum oxygen beds for the people. Between 1,400-2,000 beds will become available in the next two days," Kejriwal said during the visit.

He has also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi for augmenting oxygen-supported beds in Delhi hospitals in view of the rising number of serious COVID-19 patients. COVID-19 cases in Delhi have been increasing rapidly in the last few days, due to which the number of available beds is fast decreasing, he said.

"We are arranging additional beds at Yamuna Sports Complex and Commonwealth Games Village and several schools in Delhi."  The chief minister said 500 beds each are being prepared at Yamuna Sports Complex and Commonwealth Games Village, while 100 beds are being set up at a Delhi government school.

"We do not want the situations we saw in other cities and countries. Patients should not be denied medical held neither should they be left lying in corridors or roads," he said.

Sisodia said in view of the shortage of oxygen at hospitals, a new oxygen plant will be started in the next two days. Radha Soami Satsang Beas premises will house 5,000 oxygen-supported beds, he said after a visit to the facility. Visiting a makeshift COVID facility prepared by the DRDO, he said it will have 500 ventilator-equipped ICU beds. Out of these, admission of patients on 250 beds will start from Monday, he said.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said some people choose to stay at hospitals despite getting discharge permission from doctors. He appealed to them to leave the beds for seriously ill patients. At Satyawadi Raja Harishchandra Hospital in Narela, Sisodia said the number of beds there will increase to 400 in the next two days. Currently, there are 130 beds at the hospital.