New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said the national capital is gearing up to handle up to 100,000 COVID-19 cases daily if the situation arises.
“The government’s current capacity is to handle 1,000 cases daily but we are extending the capacity to 1 lakh everyday in view of the growing Omicron scare,” Kejriwal said at a virtual press conference here.
The government will also increase the daily COVID testing capacity from around 60,000 to 70,000 at present, to 300,000 per day, while strengthening the home isolation module to handle 100,000 positive cases daily.
“As soon as someone tests positive, a phone call will be made to the person and the next day, a medical team will visit the person to provide him a kit containing medicines and other items. The patients in home isolation will be counselled by the doctors for 10 days,” the Chief Minister said.
Kejriwal said the new Omicron variant is characterised by a fast spread and mild infection. “Since Omicron infection does not require hospitalisation in most cases, the home-isolation module is being strengthened in the city,” he said, adding: “If there are symptoms, we will try to treat patients at home in their comfort. We are developing a strong home-isolation model.”
Talking about the oxygen crisis during the last COVID surge, he said that all arrangements have been made for oxygen, and the stock of medicine is being prepared for two months.
However, he also underlined that there will not be surge of cases in the national capital as the sero-survey report shows over 95 per cent prevalence of antibodies -- which means people have already been infected with Covid, and they have developed antibodies.
The Chief Minister said that 99 per cent of the people have got the first dose of COVID vaccine in the city.
Restaurant sealed
A restaurant was sealed in south Delhi's Mehrauli area for violating the Delhi Disaster Management Authority's guidelines, an official said here on Friday.
"The restaurant named Diablo was found violating DDMA guidelines," Additional DCP South M Harshawardhan said.
He informed that there was excessive overcrowding in the restaurant after which it was sealed. The police have registered an FIR under sections 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) against the establishment at the Mehrauli police station.
In view of the rising cases of Omicron in Delhi, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) had reduced the capacity at public places like restaurants, auditoriums and assembly halls to 50 per cent, while gatherings at wedding functions was capped at 200 persons to curb the spread of the new Covid variant.
There will be a ban on all kinds of gatherings on Christmas and New Year in the national capital. However, it said that all religious places will remain open on December 25 and 31.
The order had further asked the district magistrates to survey the areas falling within their jurisdiction and identify the places, which have the potential of becoming Covid hotspots and tighten the enforcement machinery by deploying sufficient number of enforcement teams on field for keeping vigil at public places and for enforcing Covid appropriate behaviour.
"All district magistrates as well as DCPs shall conduct surprise checks and raids in their respective areas and shall take strict penal action against the defaulters," the DDMA had stated.
The Omicron infection tally has climbed to 358 across the nation. However, out of total Omicron positive, 114 have been discharged. So far 17 states have reported Omicron infection.
