Delhi should prepare for third wave, says CM Arvind Kejriwal

NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said that Delhi should prepare for the third wave of Covid-19 and exuded confidence that given the scale at which the city is creating infrastructure, it will be able to handle even 30,000 cases a day.He said he hoped that the peak of the second wave of the pandemic in Delhi has passed. However, no concessions can be allowed just yet.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a visit to a 500-bed ICU Covid care centre near the GTB Hospital here on the eve of its opening, Kejriwal said he hoped the scarcity of intensive care facilities in the city will be reduced in the coming days.The Delhi government is developing healthcare infrastructure in the city keeping in mind the possibility of the third wave of Covid-19.

“We should certainly prepare for the third wave, for which we will have to further expand our infrastructure. Given the scale at which we are creating infrastructure, we will be able to manage even if 30,000 (daily) cases come up in the next wave,” Kejriwal said.

“I hope the peak (of the second wave of Covid-19) has passed. I hope the cases go down in the coming days but being in the government and as the chief minister of Delhi, I would not want to give any concessions,” he said.

To check the spread of Covid-19 in Delhi, the AAP government on Monday extended the lockdown in the city till May 17 morning, announcing stricter measures like suspension of Metro train services and prohibition of wedding ceremonies at public places. The government wants to be ready to handle the situation if the cases start rising again, he added