CM Arvind Kejriwal says, ‘Delhi will need about 1.5 lakh beds till July end’

A day after testing negative for Covid-19, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said the Delhi government would be converting hotels, banquet halls, and stadiums into makeshift hospitals to provide treatment to coronavirus patients, whose numbers in the national capital are expected to surge over 5.5 lakh by July end.

- Advertisement -

Now, the number of cases in Delhi rose to 31,309. Of these, while 11,861 patients have recovered and 905 have died.
Kejriwal, who had quarantined himself for two days at home as he had symptoms of the virus, said he missed the Delhi Disaster Management Authority meeting on Tuesday where data on the expected rise in cases was presented.

“In normal times, 50 per cent of patients come from outside Delhi for treatments. So going by that calculation, we need about 1.5 lakh beds by July. I will personally oversee stadiums being turned into quarantine centres. In the eight days, Delhi hospitals admitted 1,900 people. Around 4,200 beds are vacant in hospitals,” Kejriwal said.

Earlier, Kejriwal courted controversy for saying that Delhi hospitals will be reserved for Delhi residents only. His statement was severely criticised.

Baijal, also the Chairman of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority, made it clear that the Supreme court has invariably held in several successive judgements that ‘Right to Health’s is an integral part of ‘Right to Life’s under Article 21 of the Constitution.

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -

Latest article