NEW DELHI: A 500-bed COVID-19 care facility is being readied by the Delhi government at the Commonwealth Games (CWG) village here, and it is likely to accept patients from Monday, officials said on Wednesday.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia visited the newly-built facility on Wednesday to review preparations.
"Around 500 beds have been installed at this COVID-19 care centre here. It will be attached to the LNJP Hospital," the CM said.
The facility will have separate wards for men and women, and stay-in facilities will be provided to doctors and nurses, he said.
"A massive expansion of the number of COVID-19 beds is underway in Delhi. The number of cases in Delhi is now decreasing (comparatively) and the situation seems to be getting under control," Kejriwal told the media after the visit.
"I hope and pray that the facilities created and the beds installed across the city are not required, but even if they are, we are not lacking in our efforts.
In case there is a spike in the number of coronavirus cases, we are ready to deal with it," he said.
Doctors For You, a non-profit organisation, is supporting the Delhi government in setting up the facility, and it will start taking patients from Monday, East Delhi District Magistrate Arun Mishra said.
Many banquet halls are being acquired in Delhi and more centres like the one at CWG village will be established in the coming days, said the chief minister.
He also said that the plasma bank set up at the ILBS Hospital in Delhi will be inaugurated on Thursday.
"The increase in testing and the low positivity rate are both good signs. The recovery rate has also increased. Out of 87,000 coronavirus cases, around 58,000 have recovered. The death rate has considerably reduced in the last few days," he said.
Still, the Delhi government is preparing for all possible situations considering the unpredictability of the novel coronavirus as no one can say when the cases might increase or decrease, he added.