Delhi HC directs Centre & state to take action against hospitals not providing Covid data

Days after directing the Central government and Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government to upload real-time data of hospitals on the COVID-19 mobile application of the AAP government, the Delhi High Court on Thursday has told them take strict action against the hospitals erring in doing so.

The Court has directed the Centre and Delhi governments to take strict action if hospitals are not providing a real-time update on the availability of beds for treating COVID19 patients. The Court said that the communication gap between government and hospitals should be reduced.

On June 10, the Delhi High Court ordered the Delhi government to ensure that there is real-time updating of data on the availability of beds and ventilators, by all hospitals in the national capital. A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan said while hearing a suo-moto plea that Government of NCT of Delhi as well as the central government that they shall take all necessary steps for ensuring real-time updating of data, without too much of a time lag. 

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Delhi surpasses Mumbai's COVID-19 tally

In a massive spike in the number of COVID-19 cases, 3,788 fresh cases were reported in the national capital on Wednesday. With this, the total tally in Delhi rose to over 70,390, surpassing Mumbai to become the worst-hit city in the country. On Wednesday, the national capital also reported 64 fresh fatalities, and the death toll climbed to 2,635.

Delhi has reported the highest number of cases and deaths after Maharashtra. Of the four traditional metropolitan cities, Delhi now has the highest number of cases. The coronavirus cases in Mumbai stand at 69,625 and the death toll at 3,962. Chennai has recorded 45,814 cases so far, while Kolkata had 4,896 cases until Tuesday.

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Entire City To Be Screened By July 6

The AAP government on Wednesday, June 23, prepared a 'Revised COVID Response Plan' which envisages the completion of house-to-house screening in Delhi by July 6. This plan, based on the recommendations of the Dr.VK Paul Committee, assumes significance at a juncture when Delhi is witnessing a record spike in the number of COVID-19 cases. 

It comes after Union Home Minister Amit Shah stepped in to tackle the crisis in the national capital amid the worsening situation. After meeting L-G Anil Baijal and CM Kejriwal, Shah announced a number of measures, including massive contact tracing and ramping up COVID-19 testing, as well as the construction of new Covid hospitals. Before this, Sisodia, who has taken over Delhi's health department while health minister Satyender Jain recovers from the Coronavirus, had said that Delhi would have 5 lakh Covid cases by July end. 

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