With new COVID-19 cases in the city showing an upward trend, the Delhi government has requested the Central government to provide at least 1,092 additional beds with manpower as there is a “shortage” of 4,900 beds, as per official projections.
“I request you to issue directions to the authorities concerned to ensure steps to provide at least 1,092 additional beds, including 300 ICU beds with manpower are taken on priority,” Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal told Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan in a letter dated November 7, which is seen by The Hindu.
Over 11,000 cases a day
In the letter, which is yet to be made public, the Chief Minister said that as per ‘Report-III’ of Empowered Group-1, regarding September-November, the worst-case scenario is that there will be around 11,909 new COVID-19 cases per day in Delhi by November-end or early December, for which a capacity of 20,604 COVID-19 beds is required.
“At present, Delhi has a bed capacity of 15,713 for COVID patients... However, the shortfall of around 4,900 beds, as per the projection of Report-III, will have to be met by augmentation in both the Central government and State government hospitals apart from leveraging private sector capacities,” the letter read.
Upscale capacities
The Chief Minister further wrote that as per information obtained from different Central government hospitals in Delhi, it has been observed that a capacity augmentation of around 1,092 beds has been proposed by these hospitals.
“It is, therefore, requested that Central government hospitals may be directed to upscale their capacities as indicated so that the number of beds are augmented to ensure that hospital capacity for COVID-19 patients in Delhi is adequate in the coming weeks,” the letter said.
The letter also said that according to projections made by an expert committee under the chairpersonship of V.K. Paul, member of NITI Aayog, the number of new cases is expected to rise to 15,000 per day during this third surge in the upcoming weeks due to various factors such as rising pollution, celebration of festivals, wedding season among others.