Delhi adds 117 private clinics to Covid list

Delhi reported 508 fresh cases on Sunday, taking the total to 13,418. Of the 1,886 patients currently in hospital, 1,379 are undergoing treatment in six government facilities. Ten private facilities have also been roped in.

SIGNALLING ITS estimate of the Covid-19 spread in Delhi, the state government on Sunday directed 117 private clinics with a capacity of at least 50 beds to earmark 20 per cent of them for positive cases.

Health Minister Satyendar Jain said in a tweet that the government “felt an imperative need” to increase the number of beds. The nursing homes that are covered under the directive will continue to provide treatment to non-Covid patients too, officials said. They have also been allowed to add 25 per cent extra beds, depending on need and availability of space.

Delhi reported 508 fresh cases on Sunday, taking the total to 13,418. Of the 1,886 patients currently in hospital, 1,379 are undergoing treatment in six government facilities. Ten private facilities have also been roped in.

The latest order, Dr Nutan Mundeja, director-general of health services, said: “It has been found that in the recent past, a majority of beds earmarked for Covid-19 patients in the dedicated private hospitals are occupied at a given time. Therefore, there is a need to increase the number of beds dedicated for Covid-19 patients in the city private hospitals.”

On Sunday, most of the top designated private hospitals were running at 100 per cent bed capacity in Covid ICUs.

At Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital in Saket, all 32 beds in the Covid ICU were full. “Initially, we had 160 beds earmarked for Covid-19 patients but we increased it to 194 on Saturday,” said a hospital spokesperson. The eight Covid ICU beds at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital and the three at Fortis Hospital in Shalimar Bagh were also occupied.