JOIN USDelhi to increase coronavirus testing two-fold in 2 days, to get 500 isolation coaches
Increasing tests by three-fold in six days, deployment of 500 isolation coaches that would add 8000 beds, intensive contact mapping in containment zones and drafting in municipal corporations are among a slew of decisions taken at back-to-back meetings chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday to tackle the worsening COVID-19 situation in Delhi.
A committee under Niti Ayog member Dr V K Paul has also been set up to prepare a roadmap to provide 60% of COVID-19 beds in private hospitals at a lower rate as well as fix charges for treatment and testing, amid complaints of fleecing of patients.
However, there will be no lockdown in the capital from Monday as speculated in several quarters with sources saying that the issue was not on the discussion table. Following the announcement of the new measures, Delhi traders who were mulling to shut down markets decided to keep the shops open "for the time being".
The meetings called by Shah and attended by Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal among others came as the capital witnessed a surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths with June alone accounting for 21,338 or 51.81 per cent of the total 41,182 till Sunday. Within first 12 days, June has surpassed 16,326 cases reported in the whole of May.
The first case in the capital was detected on March 2 while the death toll has climbed to 1,214 as on Saturday though municipal corporations claim they have facilitated cremation of 2,098 COVID-19 positive patients till June 10. Mayors of three municipal corporations attended the second meeting.
Signalling that the Centre would not remain a spectator with the situation is worsening, Shah has also convened an all-party meeting on Monday to discuss the situation in the capital. Delhi leaders of AAP, BJP, Congress and BSP have been invited to the meeting.
Through the three meetings called by Shah in two days, sources said the BJP-ruled Centre is indicating that it is not happy with the AAP-led government's efforts in tackling the pandemic.
The Centre also deputed six senior officials to the Delhi Government with an official spokesperson saying that two each officers from the Centre, Andaman and Nicobar and Arunachal Pradesh, who were transferred, will “assist” the state administration.
In the meeting, Shah assured all central help to Delhi in fighting the pandemic, including by promising more oxygen cylinders, ventilators and oximeters. Kejriwal tweeted that it was an "extremely productive" meeting where "many key decisions" were taken and they would fight the battle together.
Announcing the decisions taken in the first meeting , Shah said the number of COVID-19 tests would be increased in the capital by two-fold in two days and by three-fold in six days. COVID-19 tests will also be started at every polling station in the containment zone in the next few days. So far, Delhi has conducted 2.90 lakh tests and 77,808 happened in June so far.
The decision comes against the backdrop of criticism that the number of sample testing in the capital has been low with the Delhi government facing criticism from both the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court. While the state government early this month curtailed the tests, which was overturned by the LG, Delhi Health Minister Satyender Jain had said they could increase it only if the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) revised the guidelines.
The Delhi government was also at odds with the Centre over the need for announcing community transmission of COVID-19 in the capital, with the latter not agreeing that the capital has entered the third stage of virus transmission. Kejriwal's decision to reserve hospitals only for residents was also overturned, which was reluctantly accepted by the state government.
Keeping in mind the paucity of COVID-19 beds, Shah also announced that Centre will soon deploy 500 COVID-19 isolation coaches of the Railways in the national capital, which will add 8,000 beds.
Another decision taken at the meeting was to hold an extensive door-to-door survey for proper contact mapping in containment zones within a week. To ensure proper monitoring, people in containment zones will have to download the Aarogya Setu App.
Shah also said that a joint team of doctors of the central and state health departments, AIIMS and the three municipal corporations will visit all COVID-19 hospitals in the capital to inspect the existing facilities and preparedness to fight pandemic.
In other measures, a panel of senior doctors in AIIMS will telephonic guidance to small hospitals to deal with the situation and the helpline number will be released on Monday.