As many as 2,948 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Delhi in the past 24 hours taking the tally to 80,188, according to the health bulletin released by the Delhi government on Saturday. Also, 66 more deaths have been reported in a single day, taking the toll to 2,558.

Of the total cases, 49,301 people have recovered and there are 28,329 active cases. As many as 19,180 tests were done in a day, taking the total number of tests to 4,78,336. The number of containment zones has also increased to 315. On Saturday, a total of 17,381 people were under home isolation.

Meanwhile, an official order issued on Saturday said that 77 banquet halls have been requisitioned by the government and they will have a combined capacity of 11,229 beds for COVID-19 patients.

One such banquet hall will be made operational in each of the 11 districts in the city and linked to a hospital.

“In view of the decision to provide 1,000 railways coaches to accommodate 16,000 patients, it is proposed that one banquet hall in each district of the capacity more than 100 beds may be started by linking with five designated COVID-19 hospitals,” the order said. These five hospitals are run by the Delhi government.

“Three banquet halls each may be linked with the bigger hospitals such as Lok Nayak, GTB and Rajiv Gandhi SS hospitals; and one banquet hall each with Deep Chand Bandhu and Satyawadi Raja Harish Chandra hospitals,” the order read.

500-bed care centre

A 500-bed COVID-19 care centre at CWG Village will be operated by a volunteers’ group, ‘Doctors for You’, comprising doctors, said another order.

Another order issued on Saturday stated that the Delhi Cabinet has approved the proposal to make 450 beds of a Delhi government hospital in Burari a fully functional COVID-19 hospital in “shortest possible time” in a phased manner, with 150 beds to be ready in one week.