Delhi reports 23 Covid-19 cases; government issues advisory to hospitals, says no need to panic

New Delhi: The national capital has reported 23 Covid-19 cases, prompting the Delhi government to issue an advisory asking all hospitals to prepare for the availability of beds, oxygen, medicines and vaccines.

This is the first time that Delhi has reported Covid-19 cases after nearly three years.

On Friday, Health Minister Pankaj Singh said that 23 Covid-19 cases have been reported till Thursday, and the government is verifying the details of whether patients are residents of Delhi or have a travel history outside the city.

These positive cases have been reported by private labs and there is no need to panic, the health minister said, adding that the variant has normal influenza-like symptoms.

"The health condition of all 23 covid patients is fine. We have already held meetings with hospital authorities and we are ready to deal with any kind of situation. The government has constituted a team of eight senior officers to monitor the situation," the health minister told reporters.

According to him, the government has already coordinated with all medical superintendents, doctors, and their teams across hospitals in the capital.

In terms of preparedness, hospitals and healthcare facilities have been placed on alert, and all necessary resources are being mobilised to ensure rapid response and care.

The health department continues to monitor the situation closely and will provide timely updates to the public, he said, adding that citizens are advised to follow all health and safety guidelines and cooperate with authorities as needed.

The first case of Covid-19 in Delhi was reported in March 2020. According to Delhi Corona website, the national capital had reported more than 15 lakh cases till January 7, 2022. Thousands of people died during the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the health department on Friday issued an advisory to all Delhi government hospitals regarding Covid-19 preparedness. The advisory comes in the wake of several states reporting Covid cases.

The government has asked health institutions to send all positive samples for genome sequencing to Lok Nayak Hospital.

"The hospitals must ensure preparedness in terms of availability of beds, oxygen, antibiotics, other drugs and vaccine. All equipment such as ventilators, Bi-PAP, oxygen concentrators and PSA (prostate-specific antigen) must be in functional condition," it stated.

Daily reporting of all parameters must also be done on the Delhi State Health Data Management Portal, the advisory stated.

According to the advisory, refresher training of dedicated staff may be conducted and daily reporting of Influenza-like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases in all health facilities (OPD/IPD) on the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) portal must be ensured. Confirmed influenza and Covid-19 cases may also be reported on IHIP under the L form.

The advisory also states that respiratory etiquettes are to be followed, including the wearing of masks on hospital premises and health facilities.

Sir Gangaram Hospital doctor Aviral Mathur said, "With the recent surge in COVID-19 cases linked to the JN.1 variant and its sub-variants, we must act with informed caution. This strain is highly transmissible, though symptoms remain mostly mild. Still, prevention is key.

"We urge the public to wear masks in crowded or enclosed spaces, practise regular hand hygiene, and avoid unnecessary travel if unwell. Ensure your COVID vaccinations, including booster doses, are current—these remain effective in reducing severity. Let’s protect our vulnerable populations and avoid overwhelming our healthcare system. Stay alert, stay safe." Several states, including Gujarat, Haryana and Kerala, are reporting Covid-19 cases.

On Thursday, Gujarat recorded 15 new coronavirus cases, while three cases of Covid-19 infection were reported from Haryana's Gurugram and Faridabad.

On Wednesday, Kerala Health Minister Veena George said the state had reported 182 Covid-19 cases in May.

On May 21, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao confirmed that the state had 16 active Covid-19 cases