Coronavirus update: Equipped to handle 100 new cases per day, says Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

Covid-19 update: Delhi CM’s announcement came on a day when the capital recorded a fresh infection – a 33-year-old man who travelled to Philippines tested positive – and as concerns grow across the country over whether current resources will be able to cope if the disease takes on the proportions seen in some other parts of the world.

The Delhi government has put in place a contingency plan to activate new hospitals and add or divert hundreds of hospital beds to treat coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients in case of a surge in infections, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Friday and also assured the national capital is at present prepared if the outbreak accelerates to 100 cases a day.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal addressing a press conference over coronavirus lockdown. (ANI File Photo)

The announcement came on a day when the capital recorded a fresh infection – a 33-year-old man who travelled to Philippines tested positive – and as concerns grow across the country over whether current resources will be able to cope if the disease takes on the proportions seen in some other parts of the world.

“Right now, we are getting three to four positive cases a day. Today, the facilities that we have are enough even if 100 cases are reported each day. We have identified what is needed in scenarios when the numbers go up further and we will start preparing for it,” said Kejriwal, identifying three thresholds for the epidemic’s severity -- 100 cases a day, 500 cases a day and 1,000 cases a day – to sharpen its action plan.

In preparation for the most severe third scenario, three hospitals run by the Delhi government are being converted into dedicated facilities for Covid-19 patients: Lok Nayak Hospital, Rajiv Gandhi super speciality hospital, and a new hospital in Burari that has been under construction for several years.

Together, these will add 3,400 beds, according to an official aware of the plan, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Lok Nayak hospital near Delhi Gate is part of preparations for all three scenarios, and officials are converting it into a Covid-19-focussed facility block by block, as suggested by the panel.

“For the first scenario, we will set up a 200-bed isolation facility in the emergency building of the department, which can house up to 300 patients. Currently, the new special ward, which is being used to house Covid-19 patients, can hold up to 54 only,” said a senior official from the hospital.

To free up the additional beds, the emergency medicine and surgery departments will first be moved elsewhere: surgical is likely to move to Sushruta Trauma Centre run by the hospital in Civil Lines. “Then, for the next scenario if need be, the new medical block can add another 200 beds, the new surgical block another 400. Eventually the whole hospital, with over 2,000 beds, will be converted into a Covid-19 hospital if the numbers shoot up,” said the official.

To prevent infection from spreading within the hospital, primary screening has been started outside the out-patient clinics. “Our general out-patient clinics are still operational and to ensure there is no spread of the infection in the hospital, a team of doctors segregate the patients who are suspected to have the disease and those that are not. The suspect patients are directly taken to the Covid-19 treatment area, while others are allowed to go to the clinics,” the official said.

The upcoming hospital in Burari will be operationalised with 1,000 new beds, of which 10 to 15% will have ventilators. This hospital will be run by teams from Lok Nayak hospital, according to the committee’s suggestion.

Rajiv Gandhi super speciality hospital in Tahirpur has already set aside 400s. “We have stopped all urology and gastrointestinal surgeries to free up beds. Only cardiac procedures are being done. There is a screening mechanism for patients coming to the OPD, which will be suspended when the numbers start rising,” said another senior official from Delhi government health department.

Apart from scaling up and strengthening government facilities, the report had also recommended that private hospitals also start reserving isolation facilities.

“The report talks about involving the private sector in the management of the patients, in case there is a surge in the numbers. However, the focus is on strengthening our own facilities,” said another doctor part of the committee.

The report has assessed the number of isolation and ICU beds, number of ventilators, ambulances, doctors and nurses, as well as testing kits that will be required.

“The report has been submitted and I have briefed the minister on what needs to be done to prepare ahead,” said Dr SK Sarin.