New Delhi: In order to combat the menace of coronavirus in the national capital, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that COVID-19 testing would soon be increased by three times in next six days.
“To prevent coronavirus infection in Delhi, the testing of COVID-19 will be doubled in the next two days and after six days testing would be increased by three times,” the Home Minister tweeted. “Also after few days, the testing facility will be started at every polling station of the containment zone,” he added.
In the view of the shortage of beds in the national capital for COVID-19 patients, the Home Minister also announced that the Centre has decided to provide 500 railway coaches to Delhi.
“These railway coaches will add 8,000 beds in Delhi for COVID-19 patients and will be equipped with all the facilities to fight the infection,” the Union Minister added.
The decisions were taken at a COVID-19 review meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah along with Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, which was also attended by Delhi LG Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The meeting was also attended by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Health Secretary Preeti Sudan, Director AIIMS Dr Randeep Guleria and Members of Niti Aayog apart from other senior officers.
According to the sources, Amit Shah has assured the Delhi government of all support to deal with Covid-19 in the national capital.
Kejriwal briefed Home Minister about current medical facilities in Delhi and what will be required in the future.
Another meeting is scheduled later in the evening, which will be attended by Mayors of all three Municipal Corporations of Delhi. The meeting will also be attended by Delhi CM and Delhi LG.
Delhi has recorded a total of 38,958 coronavirus cases, out of which 22,742 are active in the city. So far, 14,945 have been cured/migrated in the capital and 1,271 have died due to the lethal infection.
The national capital will also soon receive random testing kits to enhance COVID-19 testing. The Union Home Secretary and senior officials from the Central government, along with Delhi government, will decide the road map on facilities to be improved in the city to deal with COVID-19 crisis, sources said.
All agencies have been directed to work together along with the local government and civic bodies to deal with coronavirus, sources added.
On June 10, Arvind Kejriwal had met Home minister Amit Shah on the health situation in Delhi and after the meeting, he tweeted, “Met Sh Amit Shah, Hon’ble HM. Discussed the situation on corona in Delhi in detail. He assured of all cooperation.”
To deliberate on ways to contain the spread of the lethal virus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold consultations with chief ministers on June 16 and 17
The Prime Minister will interact with the Chief Ministers via video conferencing.
Momentum
A couple of days ago, the Delhi government had announced the new set of guidelines for ‘Unlock 1’to ensure that economic activities hit by the lockdown gather momentum.
The government has prohibited Metro Rail Services and has also barred cinema halls, shopping malls, gymnasium, swimming pools, entertainment parks to be operational as the cases of Covid-19 are increasing with each passing day.
The Supreme Court on Friday slammed the Delhi government calling its patient care during Covid-19 pandemic horrendous, horrific and pathetic.
Shah on Sunday said that a comprehensive health survey of every person would be conducted in the containment zones of the national capital to check the spread of coronavirus.
“To be able to do contact mapping well in Delhi’s containment zones, a comprehensive health survey of every person will be done from house to house. The report will come in 1 week. Aarogya Setu app will be downloaded in every person’s mobile,” he tweeted.
“Testing for the infection will be doubled in the next two days in the capital and triples in six days,” he added.
The Union Minister also said that a committee would be set up for 60 per cent beds in private hospitals at a lower rate for coronavirus patients.
“For the treatment of patients in private hospitals in the capital, a Committee has been formed under the leadership of Dr Paul to provide 60 per cent of the beds in these hospitals at a low rate, to fix treatment and Covid-19 testing which will submit its report by tomorrow,” he said.
“In a bid to provide correct information and guidelines for Covid-19 to small hospitals in Delhi, the Central government has decided to constitute a committee of senior doctors for telephonic guidance in AIIMS. The helpline number will be released tomorrow,” he added.
