Battling a fresh Covid wave, Delhi is yet again seeing re-enforcement of measures that were put in place earlier to break the chain of transmission. After an exponential rise of Covid cases over the last few weeks, the Arvind Kejriwal government is looking at steps to increase the number of hospital beds and ensure a constant supply of oxygen supply and oxygen.
A Covid care centre has been set up at the Commonwealth Games Stadium that has 465 beds, including 215 beds with oxygen supply. The total capacity of the facility can be extended up to 600 beds. The CWG Stadium was used for treatment of Covid patients earlier too.
A total of 50 doctors and 100 nurses will be looking after the patients who have mild to moderate symptoms and have been referred by the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital. The facility is likely to be functional by tomorrow morning.
Patients who need intensive care will not be brought here; they will be treated only in the hospitals.
'Doctors For You', an NGO of doctors from across the country, will operate the centre in partnership with the Arvind Kejriwal government. "Doctors trying their best at this point We will work in shifts at this facility. All arrangements are in place," Dr Raghav Dhingra said.
Giving further details, Dr Prakriti Kashyap told NDTV, "Patient overload in LNJP as over 25,000 cases per day. Doctors are working round the clock but Covid spike is extreme. Lockdown will be of additional help as they will prevent gatherings."
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal earlier today announced a six-day lockdown - from tonight 10 pm to 5 am next Monday morning - to break the chain of transmission.
"Delhi's health system is at a breaking point. I will not say it has collapsed but the Covid situation is pretty critical," he said in a televised address, asserting that the lockdown decision was not an easy one.
The city recorded over 25,000 cases on Sunday in the biggest ever single-day spike.
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