COVID-19 RT-PCR testing capacity increases, house-to-house survey starts in Delhi amid rise in coronavirus cases

The ICU beds in Delhi have also been increased by 205 in Central Government hospitals, Delhi Government hospitals and private hospitals.

New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Saturday (November 21, 2020) said that the COVID-19 RT-PCR testing capacity has increased and the house to house survey has started in the national capital following the directions from Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

"ICMR has increased RT-PCR testing capacity from 27,000 tests/day to 37,200 RT-PCR tests per day on directions of HM Amit Shah," said the Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs.

According to the MHA, 30,735 RT-PCR samples were collected in Delhi on November 19 as compared to 12,055 RT-PCR samples on November 15.

The MHA also said, "Govt of NCT Delhi has started house to house survey."

The MHA stated that the ICU beds in Delhi have increased by 205 in Central Government hospitals, Delhi Government hospitals and private hospitals.

They informed that 125 ventilators from BEL have reached Delhi in order to ramp up the medical infrastructure for coronavirus surge.

Earlier on November 15, Amit Shah had assured more ICU beds for COVID-19 patients during a high-level meeting with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to check the rising coronavirus cases in the national capital.

Amit Shah who had earlier taken charge of the national capital in May announced to take several steps in order to control the rising COVID-19 cases in Delhi. He had said that the RT-PCR tests will be increased two-fold in Delhi, the mobile testing vans of the Health Ministry and ICMR will be deployed in the high-risk areas, the oxygen beds will be increased and 10,000-bedded Chhatarpur COVID care centre will be strengthened and that some MCD hospitals will be converted into dedicated COVID-19 hospitals for the treatment of patients with mild symptoms. 

Shah had also said that multi-departmental teams will visit all private hospitals in Delhi to clearly indicate the availability of beds and medical conditions and that the people under home isolation will also be tracked and will be provided immediate help if required. 

He said that the Centre will provide Delhi with oxygen cylinders, high flow nasal cannula and all other essential health equipment.

Delhi that has been reportedly hit by COVID-19's third wave witnessed over 7,000 cases on November 6, followed by record 8,593 cases on November 11. It recorded the second-highest death toll in the past 24 hours as at least 118 people succumbed to the COVID-19 infection on Friday. The highest single-day death toll is 131.

As many as 6,608 new cases of coronavirus have been registered in Delhi in the past day. Delhi's total tally of COVID-19 cases is at 5,17,238 which includes 4,68,143 cured cases and 8,159 fatalities.