WORLD / CENTRAL & SOUTH ASIA
Indian gov't promises 750 ICU beds to contain COVID-19 in capital
Published: Nov 16, 2020 09:47 AM

People walk past the graffiti art to create awareness on COVID-19 in Bangalore, India, Oct. 12, 2020. With 66,732 new cases registered in India over the past 24 hours, the country's COVID-19 tally rose to 7,120,538 on Monday, according to the latest data released by the federal health ministry. (Str/Xinhua)


 
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Sunday said the federal government would provide 750 intensive care unit (ICU) beds at the Defence Research and Development (DRDO) COVID-19 center to tackle COVID-19 scenario in the capital of India.

Kejriwal said his government would increase the daily testing capacity of COVID-19 to over 100,000 tests a day.

"Center (federal government) has assured 750 ICU beds will be made available at the DRDO center," Kejriwal said after hold a meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss the spike in COVID-19 cases in Delhi. "The number of COVID-19 tests conducted daily will be increased to over 100,000."

At present 60,000 COVID-19 tests are carried out in a day in Delhi.

Kejriwal expressed satisfaction over the federal government's coordinated efforts with the local health ministry in tackling COVID-19 outbreak in the capital city.

"Center will also help the Delhi government in getting BiPAP machines to increase the number of ICU beds at Delhi government facilities," he said.

As COVID-19 cases showed an upward spiral in Delhi since the beginning of November, there has been an acute shortage of ICU beds for COVID-19 patients.

Sunday's meeting came when the national capital witnessed more than 7,000 cases on a daily basis for the past few days.

Delhi at present is the seventh most affected state in the country with 482,170 COVID-19 cases and 7,519 related deaths.

On Sunday morning the Health Ministry said 7,340 cases and 96 deaths related to COVID-19 were recorded in the capital during past 24 hours.

Likewise, the number of COVID-19 cases in India has reached 8,814,579 and the death toll has risen to 129,635 so far.

India is in the grip of ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and globally it is the second worst-hit country due to COVID-19.