Delhi to get world’s biggest Covid-19 facility, the size of 22 football fields

The Delhi government is seeking to further increase the number of beds available for patients by setting up makeshift hospitals in 40 hotels and 77 banquet halls.

Delhi is all set to get the world’s largest Covid-19 care facility to help in the treatment of coronavirus disease patients.

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal inspects the site at Radha Soami Satsang Beas centre where a 10,000 bed facility for Covid-19 patients is being built, in New Delhi on Sunday. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

The national capital recorded the highest number of deaths - 93 - in a 24-hour period (till Tuesday evening). The city now has 44,688 infections in all with 1,837 of them succumbing to the disease.

To ramp up the capacity of beds in the national capital, the Delhi government has started converting South Delhi’s Radha Soami Spiritual Centre into a care facility. It will have over 200 halls and 10,000 beds.

The area of the spiritual centre is as large as the over 22 football fields. There will also be a provision of accommodation for doctors at one side of the facility.

“The complex will be fully ready by June 30 for the treatment of the patients. It is being constructed with tents. It will have adequate lighting and fans. Coolers will also be installed in each hall,” an official of the centre was quoted as saying by new outlets.

On Sunday, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal visited the Radha Soami Satsang centre and was apprised with the technical information about the facilities.

Of the total beds, those in the hotels will be paid facilities with private hospitals pitching in staff and consumables. As per the government’s May 29 order, five-star hotels will be allowed to charge Rs 5,000 and three or four-star hospitals Rs 4,000 per patient per day, with the linked hospitals allowed to charge up to Rs 5,000 for medical services and consumables a day.

The state government is in talks with the Delhi Medical Association to provide staff for the makeshift hospitals.

After addition of more deaths to Covid-19 fatality count, the mortality rate in Delhi rose to 4.1 per cent. In comparison, the national mortality rate stands at 3.3 per cent.

With the number of Covid-19 tests in the national capital increasing to 7,786 on Tuesday, the positivity rate - the number of people who tested positive among those tested – has come down to almost 24 per cent.