NEW DELHI: Over 660 ICU beds are planned to be added in various city government hospitals in the next few days in view of the surge in COVID-19 cases here, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday.
He was interacting with reporters after visiting GTB Hospital in east Delhi, accompanied by Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain.
A meeting was held with doctors at GTB Hospital and they have agreed to add over 230 ICU beds in the next two days, Kejriwal said.
"In all, 663 ICU beds shall be added in various Delhi hospitals in the next few days," Kejriwal said, adding that "despite such a huge surge in cases, our doctors have managed the COVID-19 situation well".
He visited the facility of the city government in east Delhi to review the preparedness and facilities in the wake of rising COVID-19 cases here.
"In the review meeting held with doctors and the GTB hospital administration, the doctors agreed to increase the strength of the ICU beds by 232, which means that the total number of ICU beds at GTB Hospital will become 400," he was quoted as saying in a statement released by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).
"Apart from this, the Centre has assured 750 additional ICU beds, so around 1,400 beds will be increased across hospitals in Delhi in the next few days," he added.
Delhi recorded 7,486 fresh COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, taking the infection tally in the city to over five lakh, while 131 new fatalities, the highest single-day death count till date, pushed the toll to 7,943, authorities said.
These fresh cases came out of the 62,232 tests conducted the previous day, while the positivity rate stood at 12.03 per cent amid the festive season and rising pollution in the national capital, according to the latest bulletin issued by the Delhi health department.
The chief minister said the Delhi government will observe the COVID situation in the coming days and asses according to that.
"We are not shutting the markets down right now. I was listening to some news channels yesterday which mentioned that there will be a mini lockdown in Delhi, which is not the case.
We will observe the situation in the coming days and will assess according to that," he said.
Saving the economy and the livelihood of the people is the city government's topmost priority right now, the chief minister said.
"Unless very necessary, we will not take any step, but we have only written to the central government for now," he said.