Coronavirus update: Delhi private hospitals to reserve 20% beds for COVID-19 cases

The Delhi Chief Minister also said that coronavirus cases in Delhi have increased due to the relaxation in lockdown

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said that 117 private hospitals in the city have been asked to reserve 20 per cent of the beds for those seeking coronavirus treatment. Now, 2,000 hospital beds are available in the private sector from today, Kejriwal said while addressing a digital press conference. "We have issued a show-cause notice to a private hospital that denied treatment to a patient who tested positive for COVID-19. It is the hospital's duty in such a case to provide an ambulance to the patient and take them to a coronavirus hospital," he said.

Kejriwal informed that 677 beds are currently reserved for coronavirus patients at private hospitals, of which 509 are occupied. He also said that the private hospitals have 72 ventilators of which only 15 are being used by coronavirus patients.

The Delhi Chief Minister also said that coronavirus cases in Delhi have increased due to the relaxation in lockdown. On Monday, Delhi reported its highest-ever single day spike of 635 new cases. The total tally in the national capital stands at 14,053 with 276 deaths. Delhi has 7,006 active cases.

"COVID-19 cases have increased in Delhi due to relaxations in lockdown. But there is nothing to worry about unless the mortality rate or the number of serious cases rises rapidly. If people contract the virus and recover, then there is nothing to worry about," Kejriwal noted.

Meanwhile, India has recorded the highest ever spike of 6,977 COVID-19 cases and 154 deaths in the last 24 hours. Total number of cases in the country now stands at 1,38,845, including 77,103 active cases, 57,720 cured or discharged patients and 4,021 deaths, shows the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's latest data.

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