Delhi has over 50,000 COVID-19 cases (File)
Highlights
- Delhi already struggling to find hospital beds, Raghav Chadha said
- He was responding to a Friday order by Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal
- All COVID-19 patients must be quarantined for at least five days, it said
Delhi will need 90,000 beds for coronavirus patients by June 30 if all cases are required to undergo five-day institutional quarantine, AAP leader Raghav Chadha warned Saturday. The AAP leader pointed out that the Delhi government was already struggling to find the 15,000 beds required by that date.
Mr Chadha was responding to a Friday order by Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal that said all COVID-19 patients must be quarantined for at least five days at government-run facilities before being allowed to self-isolate at home.
"As per our calculation, Delhi needs 15,000 beds by June 30 but after this order, now we need 90,000 by June 30. From where will we get these beds?" he asked, adding that the order would also make people nervous about getting tested.
"I am already getting calls from the people of my constituency that they won't get themselves tested for fear of being whisked away to quarantine centres," Mr Chadha, who represents Rajinder Nagar in north Delhi, told news agency ANI.
On Friday Lt Governor Anil Baijal, who heads the Delhi Disaster Management Authority, wrote to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, saying: "It was observed that home isolation without physical contact to monitor the patients may be a reason for increase in spread of increase in COVID-19 infections in Delhi".
Mr Baijal therefore ordered five-day institutional quarantine for each patient before they are allowed to isolate at home. Patients with severe symptoms or those requiring hospitalisation will be admitted immediately, he said.
The Delhi government has criticised the decision, pointing to a shortage of doctors, nurses and space to set up huge quarantine facilities.
This afternoon Mr Kejriwal opposed Mr Baijal's order, questioning the need for separate guidelines for Delhi and pointing out that the ICMR (Indian Council for Medical Research, the centre's nodal body in dealing with this health crisis) had permitted home isolation for asymptomatic patients.
AAP MLA Atishi, who this week tested positive for the novel coronavirus and is isolating at home with only mild symptoms, said being able to stay at home with her family was helping her recover faster.
Like her colleague Mr Chadha, she too pointed out that the order would deter people from being tested for the virus. She also said: "There are a limited number of healthcare workers. We want them to focus on severe cases in ICUs in hospitals. Mild cases should be allowed to stay at home".
Last week the Supreme Court lashed out at Delhi's ruling AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) over the coronavirus crisis. Describing the situation as "horrendous, horrific and pathetic", the top court criticised the state of hospitals in the city and ordered the centre and Delhi government to address the situation.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah met Arvind Kejriwal shortly after and sent 503 modified railways coaches to Delhi to act as COVID-19 treatment and isolation centres for people with mild or moderate symptoms.
However, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia pointed out the coaches had no provision for temperature control and, with the mercury in Delhi crossing 40 degrees Celsius every day, it would be difficult for doctors and nurses, never mind patients who had to live there.
Delhi has reported over 53,000 COVID-19 cases so far, following a steep daily rise in new cases over the past several days; on Friday the city reported 3,137 cases in a 24-hour period. Over 2,000 deaths have been linked to the virus in the national capital.