Delhi govt requests Railways to arrange COVID-19 beds at Anand Vihar, Shakur Basti stations
Apr 18, 2021
New Delhi [India], April 18 : As COVID-19 cases in the national capital continues to rise at an alarming rate, the Delhi government on Sunday requested the Indian Railways to arrange COVID beds at Anand Vihar and Shakur Basti railway station.
The government also asked for logistical support, medical staff and oxygen facilities on an emergent basis and will identify more facilities up to the level of 5,000 beds as was done last year.
Meanwhile, sources confirmed that the Delhi government will register FIRs against two private hospitals under the Delhi Disaster Management Act for showing inaccurate data regarding beds on the government's COVID app.
Additionally, an order from the Delhi High Court informed that in view of an upsurge in cases, the Delhi High Court will only take up extremely urgent matters filed in the year 2021. This will be in effect from Monday (April 19).
Earlier in the day, while addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal informed that in the last 24 hours, around 25,000 COVID-19 cases were reported in Delhi
"The major concern is the positivity rate that has increased to 30 per cent from 24 per cent in the last 24 hours. The cases are rising very fast. The beds are getting exhausted very quickly. There has been a shortage of ICU beds. There are less than 100 ICU beds are left in Delhi," he had said.
In light of the shortage of beds, the Delhi government has directed nursing homes and private hospital providing COVID treatment to reserve at least 80 per cent of ICU and ward beds for COVID patients and display revised bed capacity on the government's COVID data management portal.
