Covid-19: Delhi faces shortage of ICU beds amid Diwali worry

Despite a ban, thousands of fireworks are likely to be set off, increasing already bad air pollution and raising the risk posed by Covid-19

Shoppers crowd a market ahead of of Diwali, amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease, in the old quarter of Delhi. Credit: Reuters Photo

With Delhi breaching the 8,000-mark for Covid-19 cases on a single day, the national capital is running out of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds that could spell trouble for serious patients.

The number of Covid-19 cases is likely to increase in the next few days as pollution is likely to increase due to Diwali even as the state administration has banned the bursting of crackers.

However, there is apprehension that some sections may deftly defy the ban, adding to the pollution in the capital.

At present, the Delhi government portal on Covid-19 showed that Delhi has 16,592 hospital beds in the capital out of which 7,901 are vacant. However, when it comes to Covid-19 ICU beds with ventilators, 1,111 out of 1,288 are occupied leaving just 177 beds available for fresh patients.

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Similarly, 1,734 out of 2,096 Covid-19 ICU beds without ventilators are occupied, leaving just 362 vacant.

In some relief for the state government, the Delhi High Court allowed it to reserve 80% beds in ICUs of 33 private hospitals for Covid-19 patients. The High Court said the situation in Delhi was "fairly dynamic" and the state has to be "much more alive" to the circumstances.

The order came on a Delhi government's appeal challenging a single judge’s September 22 interim order staying its decision to reserve %of the ICU beds in these hospitals. The High Court vacated the stay order and listed the matter for further hearing on November 26 before the single bench and till then the reservation of 80% of ICU beds will continue.

CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE ONLY ON DH

On Wednesday, Delhi recorded its biggest single-day jump of 8,593 Covid-19 cases. The total number of cases had crossed over 4.59 lakh people. Eighty-five new deaths were added to the death toll, which stood at 7,228 on Wednesday.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had also requested Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan to augment bed capacity in central government-run hospitals in the capital following apprehensions that the number of Covid-19 cases could reach 15,000 a day in the coming weeks.

Kejriwal wrote Vardhan citing a shortfall of around 4,900 beds in hospitals and urged him to direct central government-run hospitals to provide at least 1,092 additional beds, including 300 ICU beds, with the required medical staff.