Only 4% reserved beds occupied as active cases drop

"We just have seven Covid-19 patients at the moment and there are so many others who need attention," an official at a private hospital in Delhi said.

Amid a sharp fall in the Covid-19 caseload, only 4% of hospital beds in the national capital reserved for the treatment of Covid-19 patients were occupied as on Wednesday evening, in stark contrast to the situation in early May, when facilities were packed, and medical equipment was in short supply as Delhi battled a fourth wave of infections.

The state government’s Delhi Corona app at 8pm on Wednesday showed that nearly all isolation, oxygen, and intensive care unit (ICU) beds reserved in city hospitals are empty. (HT Photo)

However, several of these hospitals, said they have started admitting patients facing post-Covid complications, as well as those whose non-Covid procedures were delayed.

The state government’s Delhi Corona app at 8pm on Wednesday showed that nearly all isolation, oxygen, and intensive care unit (ICU) beds reserved in city hospitals are empty. Of the 27,246 total beds across hospitals and makeshift facilities, only 1,193 were in use on Wednesday evening, showed the portal.

“There are several non-Covid patients whose surgeries were delayed when cases began surging in April. These are not emergency procedures, but they are urgent. Some planned surgeries have also started,” said an official from one of Delhi’s major private hospitals who asked not to be named. The official, however, said the allocated number of beds would be made available for Covid-19 patients if cases start rising again.

An official at a third hospital said, “Once the Covid-19 cases subsided, there were several people who started coming in with complications arising from the disease, such as lung problems or secondary infections. These patients were also admitted on the Covid-19 beds. Barring some wards, the rest are being used to treat non-Covid patients now.”

As cases in April began to gallop amid the city’s fourth wave of infections, the Delhi government reserved close to 80% beds across hospitals in city, with some government hospitals being converted entirely to Covid-19 treatment centres. There has been no de-escalation order since.

At its peak, Delhi saw over 20,000 hospital admissions at a time, with the city completely running out of ICU beds towards the end of April, even as medical oxygen supplies fell short. More beds were added, while some were set up in temporary structures, after oxygen shortages eased in May.

“There has been no order of de-escalation of facilities. Hospitals do have some beds to treat non-Covid patients and can take in some extra patients as well in cases of emergency. So if non-Covid patients are taking up 22% of the beds instead of the allocated 20%, then it’s alright. But, if they are deliberately taking in patients on reserved beds, that shouldn’t be done,” said a senior Delhi government official.

Delhi government-run hospitals continue to keep beds reserved for Covid-19 patients as the government prepares for another potential wave of infections, and is getting facilities ready to handle 37,000 to 45,000 new cases a day.

As for makeshift facilities, such as the one at the Ramlila Maidan attached to Lok Nayak hospital, Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday said, “We are de-escalating, but everything will be kept on standby in case the cases start increasing.”