NEW DELHI: Covid-19 cases in Delhi headed north again on Friday, with more cases being reported among schoolchildren, but the Delhi government said there was no need to panic. Both Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Health Minister Satyendar Jain assured that the government was fully prepared to deal with the situation.
The city reported 366 cases on Friday, up from 325 on Thursday. “We are keeping a close eye on rising cases. Hospital admissions are not increasing, so there is no need to panic. Nothing to worry about as of now,” Kejriwal said.
Jain, too asserted that the government did not want to take any risk and was closely monitoring the situation. “We have completely overhauled our health infrastructure. All hospitals have been advised to remain alert,” he said, and added that there was no alarming increase in number of patients admitted to hospitals.
Jain, however, advised people not to leave home without wearing a mask. The Delhi Disaster Management Authority will also meet on April 20 to discuss measures to contain the spread. Listing out its preparations to tackle the situation in the wake of rising cases, the government said it plans to increase 100 oxygen beds in every ward within two weeks and prepare 65,000 beds, so that there is no shortage in an emergency situation.
If cases witness a significant surge, home isolation system would be implemented. Civil defence volunteer teams, along with ANM, ASHA, paramedical workers, will visit the homes of patients and inform them about being in home isolation and taking necessary precautions. The teams will assess the patient’s health and will provide home isolation kits with oximeters. Tele-caller teams will call in the morning and evening to get health related information of the patient. If the patient’s condition is critical, they will be immediately admitted to the hospital.
There has been a rise of nearly 48 per cent in the number of home isolation cases in the last one week, as per official data.
Record surge, public anger in Shanghai
China on Friday reported more than 3,400 positive and 20,700 asymptomatic Covid cases, majority of them in Shanghai which is reeling under prolonged lockdown, and where hospitals have been ordered not to delay treatment of non-Covid patients after an elderly woman died waiting for emergency care, sparking a public outcry. The cases continued to be the highest in Shanghai, China’s economic hub. The city has already conducted many rounds of testing and built temporary hospitals, including in stadiums and swimming pools to treat both positive and asymp-tomatic cases. Amid rising public anger over hospitals refusing treatment to non-Covid patients, health officials ordered hospitals not to delay treatment.