Terming the fourth Covid-19 wave in the national capital “very dangerous”, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday informed that the city has reported 13,468 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours and urged the Central government to cancel CBSE board examinations.
Addressing a digital press conference on Tuesday, Kejriwal said, “Corona cases are increasing rapidly. As per the report, 13,468 cases and 81 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours. During the peak in Covid-19 cases in November last year, 8,500 cases were reported, compared to that we are already reporting, 13,468 cases. This wave is very dangerous.”
Citing the Covid-19 data of the last 10 to 15 days, the chief minister stated that 65 per cent of Covid-19 patients in the national capital were below 45 years of age. He appealed to the youth to step out of the house only if necessary and follow Covid guidelines.
«As per the data of last 10-15 days, 65 per cent of the patients are below 45 years of age. Your health and life are very important to us. So, I would like to appeal to the youth to step out of the house only when it is necessary and follow all Covid protocols strictly,» said Delhi Chief Minister
He further requested those above 45 years of age to get vaccinated, adding that government hospitals in Delhi are providing Covid-19 vaccines free of cost.
“We are attaching hospitals with the banquet hall. Those Covid patients who are less serious will be shifted to banquet halls and serious patients will be treated at the hospital. Some hospitals have been declared 100 per cent Covid. I urge everyone to cooperate. Planned surgeries in Delhi may be delayed,” added the Kejriwal.
He further requested those who have recovered from Covid-19 to donate plasma. Plasma therapy uses the blood of a recuperated patient to make antibodies in Covid-19 infected patients.
On CBSE board examinations, the Chief Minister made an appeal to the Centre. “Six lakh students in the city will appear for board examinations. One lakh teachers will be on duty. Conducting board examinations can lead to large-scale spread of coronavirus, alternative methods of assessment can be explored. Students can be promoted on basis of either online examinations or internal assessment. The board examinations should be cancelled,” he said.
Once again, Delhi CM Kejriwal said: “As mentioned before, we don’t wish to impose another lockdown. We wish to strengthen our existing healthcare facilities.”
BJP state president Adesh Gupta demanded an all-party meeting convened soon by the chief minister and asked the government to come up with a clear blueprint to deal with the crisis. He alleged that the government wasted time when they should have been augmenting medical consultancy and test centres, besides quarantine centres at the earliest and also implement Ayushman Bharat Yojana at once. In the absence of Ayushman Bharat Yojana in Delhi, the common man can’t afford to go there. Congress state president Anil Chaudhary said that the Arvind Kejriwal government has failed to improve facilities in Delhi government hospitals, which are shorn of infrastructure, doctors, nurses and paramedics. He alleged that Delhi government hospitals are running short of ventilators and other Covid treatment facilities, as Covid cases make a rapid surge in the capital.