New Delhi: The Delhi government has no intention of imposing a lockdown as it believes that it is not a solution in the fight against COVID-19, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Wednesday.
The comments came in the wake of speculation of a reimposition of lockdown in the national capital amid a spike in the number of coronavirus cases and the daily number of deaths due to it. The total number of COVID-19 cases in Delhi stands at 495,598 including 42,004 active cases, 445,782 recoveries and 7,812 deaths.
“Delhi government has no intentions of imposing a lockdown. We believe lockdown is not a solution in the fight against COVID-19. The solution is better hospital management and better medical systems. Delhi government has managed the medical system well and will do it in future too,” he told ANI.
The Deputy Chief Minister stated that if needed, restrictions will be increased in some markets.
“I would like to assure shopkeepers, they need not be scared. We don’t intend to impose a lockdown. We want your shops to remain open…If needed, restrictions will be increased in some markets, that’s what we requested from the Centre. But it won’t be a lockdown in any manner,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain reiterated that there will be no lockdown in the national capital but said that there can be local restrictions at some busy places.
On November 15, Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a meeting to review the coronavirus situation in the national capital. Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain had also participated in the meet at North Block.
Later, Shah announced several measures, including doubling of RT-PCR tests and strengthening medical infrastructure, to bring under control Delhi’s rising number of coronavirus cases.
45 doctors, 160 paramedics reach Delhi
A group of 45 doctors and 160 paramedics from Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have reached the national capital as an additional central support to the Delhi government to tame the rising COVID-19 infections that have pushed the hospitals here to their brink.
The move comes three days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah took stock of the situation in the city in presence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Among many steps taken after the meeting held by Shah on November 15, Home Ministry Spokesperson Nitin Wakankar in a series of tweets informed that “already 45 doctors and 160 para-medics from CAPFs have reached Delhi for deployment at the DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) hospital near Delhi airport and at Covid care centre at Chhatarpur”.
“Remaining doctors and medics to reach Delhi in next few days,” the spokesperson said.
Following the meeting, the official said slew of measures have been underway.
“DRDO to add 250 ICU beds to its already existing 250 ICU beds and also to create 35 BIPAP (Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure) beds in next 3 to 4 days at its COVID hospital near Delhi airport.”
BIPAP is known as small ventilator. Patients are put on it when their stage goes beyond oxygen cylinder but better than putting on a ventilator. It’s a small machine that can be attached to any bed.
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has constituted 10 multi-disciplinary teams to visit more than 100 private hospitals in Delhi for assessing bed utilization and testing capacity and to identify extra ICU beds on directions of Union Home Minister.
The Indian Railways is also making available train coaches with 800 beds at Shakur Basti railway station and doctors, as well as para-medics from CAPFs to man these coaches as COVID-19 care cum isolation facility, he said.
Besides, the official said, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has dispatched 250 ventilators from Bengaluru and these are expected to reach Delhi by weekend.