NEW DELHI: Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Thursday asked the health department to ramp up medical facilities keeping pace with coronavirus cases and medical scenario in the national capital. Baijal advised the department to prepare a comprehensive futuristic plan for setting up of more dedicated COVID-19 hospitals, health care centres and testing centres to contain the spread of the novel virus.
"L-G advised the health department to intensify surveillance for Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI)/Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) in the city. He also instructed to ensure continued focus on surveillance of micro plan, proper delineation, efficient perimeter control, active case search and contact tracing," said an official.
Baijal also directed the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) to ensure screening of stranded people moving out of or entering the national capital from other states strictly as per the standard operating procedure.
The directions were issued during a review meeting on the current health crisis in the city which was attended by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and other senior officials of the government and Delhi Police. The L-G was informed that district magistrates had been authorised to open more food centres and shelters for migrant workers.
Over 18,000 people are staying in over 340 shelters and at present, nearly 1,900 food centres including Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), over 10 lakh beneficiaries are being served food twice a daily.
Out of nearly 12,000 migrant labourers who were staying in shelters, over 3,500 have moved and safely reached their homes in other states.
Officials said the DDMA is collecting information of the distressed and stranded people of other states in Delhi and till now, over 60,000 people have registered on the portal launched for the purpose. "or the movement of Indians coming in from abroad, 2,300 rooms have been requisitioned and more have been identified for quarantine in the city," said an official.
All measures in place
Government buildings, DUSIB Flats, schools, and hotels have requisitioned to be used for quarantine and COVID care. Meanwhile, 20 COVID care centres have been established in Delhi with the capacity of 5,949. For the movement of Indians coming in from abroad, 2,300 rooms have also been requisitioned.