DELHI PREPARING FOR THIRD WAVE: SATYENDAR JAIN

Ramping up its facilities by building over 37,000 beds in the city, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Thursday said that Delhi will opt for a lockdown if the positivity rate in the city goes up to 5 per cent to combat the likely third wave of Covid-19.

Currently, the positivity rate in Delhi is at 0.08 per cent with 61 fresh Covid-19 cases and two fatalities, as per the Delhi health bulletin on Thursday.

The Health Minister addressed a virtual session organised by ASSOCHAM wherein he was the chief guest. The topic for the session was Delhi Healthcare System: Preparedness to combat the third wave of Covid-19 and was attended by several senior doctors.

“All necessary measures are being taken and health infrastructure is being ramped up to unprecedented levels with more than 37,000 Covid-19 dedicated beds being built for the fight against the likely third wave of Covid-19,” Jain said.

He also informed about the various subsidy schemes of the Delhi Government that have been launched to facilitate the building of Pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants and liquid medical oxygen (LMO) facilities. “We have made our public aware about what our response would be, earlier, in case the third wave strikes. If the positivity rate goes up to 5 per cent, then we will opt for an immediate lockdown without delay,” Jain said.

On the questions of the second wave, he said, “We were caught off guard because of oxygen shortage and the logistical issues of procuring it. But now, over 50 oxygen plants, have already been built and more are in line so that such a problem doesn’t arise again.” He also shared the experiences of field hospitals or makeshift hospitals which were made during the second wave.

The Health Minister said, “Makeshift hospitals created in Chattarpur, Sant Nirankari Colony, Ramleela Maidan are now being ramped up with ICU beds and ventilators, which are more than 1200 in number. Further, the Delhi Government is also training more medical staff and doctors belonging to different streams.”

While answering the question on the vaccination drive, the Minister said, “Delhi has the capacity of administering 3 to 4 lakh doses every day, provided we get adequate supplies. As of now, nearly one crore doses have already been administered in Delhi.”