Delhi on Sunday reported an upsurge of 25,462 fresh coronavirus cases, besides 161 fatalities, in 24 hours, making it the highest single-day tally for the national capital since the beginning of the pandemic.
As cases rose exponentially across the city, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday informed that Delhi is facing an acute shortage of medical oxygen and other important life-saving resources like Remdesivir and tocilizumab are rapidly depleting.
Taking to Twitter, Kejriwal also claimed that instead of increasing the oxygen supply, Delhi’s quota is being diverted to other states. “Delhi facing acute shortage of oxygen. In view of sharply increasing cases, Delhi needs much more than the normal supply. Rather than increasing supply, our normal supply has been sharply reduced and Delhi’s quota has been diverted to other states. OXYGEN HAS BECOME AN EMERGENCY IN DELHI,” he said in a tweet.
In a news briefing, Kejriwal said, “The bigger worry is that in the last 24 hours, the positivity rate has increased to around 30% from 24% … The cases are rising very rapidly. The beds are filling fast,” Kejriwal told a news briefing.
In another statement, Kejriwal said that he has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ask for more support. “Delhi’s situation of Covid-19 has become very serious. There is a grave shortage of Covid beds and oxygen supply. We are doing everything we can at our level. Your help would be needed,” Kejriwal stated.
In his appeal, Kejriwal also requested for the reservation of at least 7,000 hospital beds out of Central Government’s 10,000 beds for Covid-infected patients. “Delhi has around 10,000 beds in Central Government hospitals. Out of these, only 1,800 have been reserved for Covid-19 patients. Taking note of the seriousness of this situation, it is my request to you, to reserve at least 7,000 beds for Covid-infected patients,” wrote the CM, adding, “Delhi is also facing a grave shortage of oxygen. Provide us oxygen on an urgent basis.”
“I had informed Dr Harsh Vardhan yesterday (Union Health and Family Welfare Minister), and Amit Shah (Union Home Minister) today morning, about the same…Till now, we have received a lot of support from the Central Government during this pandemic. I hope that you surely would help us on the aforementioned subjects,” he added.
Kejriwal along with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia also visited a school in Rouse Avenue that has been converted into a Covid centre. After the visit, the Chief Minister said that 1,500 more oxygen beds will become functional between Monday and the day after in three places in Delhi. “Visited Commonwealth Games Village, Yamuna sports complex, and Government school at Rouse Avenue. 1500 oxygen beds will become functional between tomorrow and the day after in these three places,” he said in another tweet.
Sisodia also visited Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) upcoming Covid hospital near the Delhi airport and said that the new centre will add 250 ICU beds for the city’s patients. “Visited DRDO’s upcoming Covid Hospital near the airport. Salute to DRDO for creating this facility within 5 days’ time. With this centre, 250 ICU beds with ventilators will be added for critically ill patients from tomorrow. Another 250 beds would be operational in the next 4-5 days,” Sisodia said after his visit. In a tweet, Kejriwal also thanked the DRDO for its help and requested to increase the capacity to 1,000 beds.
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain also informed citizens through Twitter that to tackle the Covid situation in Delhi, the government has added 1,979 normal oxygen-supported Covid beds, 219 ICU beds with ventilator, and 696 ICU beds without ventilator in hospitals.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police filed an FIR against Mata Chanan Devi Hospital in Janakpuri for displaying wrong information about the availability of Covid beds on the Delhi government’s website. The police said a team was formed to verify the complaints received against the hospital.
Delhi CM Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal will hold a meeting with senior government officers on Monday over the situation in the national capital.