Delhi Will Face Issues If People From Other States Tested Here: Minister

Satyendar Jain also said that Delhi might require 15,000 beds by the end of June

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday said that if people from neighbouring states come and get tested for COVID-19 in Delhi then there will be problems for the national capital. He further alleged that Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are under-reporting COVID-19 cases as they are not conducting tests.

"If people from neighbouring states come and get tested in Delhi then there will be problems here," Mr Jain said while speaking to media persons at a press conference.

"Haryana and Uttar Pradesh do not conduct tests. Haryana says that there are 1,000 active cases there. Uttar Pradesh, being such a large state, says there are only 2,000-3,000 active cases there. The truth is that there are many who have been infected by COVID-19 in those states," he added.

The Delhi Health Minister further said, "Orders have been issued to increase the number of beds in the city by 2,000 in the next 2-3 days. It is expected that we would need 15,000 beds by the end of June. We will even use space available in banquet halls, hotels and stadiums if required. We are working accordingly."

"There is transmission in the community, but if it is community transmission or not that can be declared by Centre only. It is a technical term," he added.

The Minister's comments came in the backdrop of Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal's directions to authorities in the city to ensure that treatment is not denied to any patient on grounds "of being a non-resident of the national capital".

The order by the LG, which also directed all government and private hospitals and nursing homes to cater to the needs of the patients, came a day after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that hospitals in Delhi, except those run by the Centre, will only be available for residents of the national capital in the view of rising COVID-19 cases here.