AAP flaunts Delhi's 'ramped-up COVID testing' to BJP as Shah inaugrates 1000-bed facility

As Delhi grapples with Coronavirus (COVID-19), the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), on Sunday took a dig at the Centre, comparing Delhi's COVID-19 testing to those in BJP-ruled states. AAP stated that Delhi's 32,863 per million tests was higher than the sum of BJP-ruled UP, MP, Gujarat and Karnataka states. Delhi has seen  2,244 new cases on Sunday on conducting 9,873 RTPCR tests and 13,263 rapid antigen tests in the 24 hours.

AAP politicises 'India's largest COVID centre'; alleges 'Shah secretly inaugurating it'

AAP compares Delhi's testing to BJP states

'Word to word copy': AAP accuses Centre of copying Delhi govt's home isolation guidelines

AAP's COVID politicisation

AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh has often alleged that the Centre was interfering into Delhi government's COVID-19 orders. AAP slammed L-G Anil Baijal after he overruled Delhi govt's order reserving state govt hospitals for Delhiites, alleged Centre was copying Delhi's home isolation guidelines, slammed MHA for reversing Delhi's testing criteria. While AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal thanked the Centre for its assistance, AAP leaders have accused the Centre of taking claims for Delhi government's COVID-19 steps.

Delhi's COVID-19 testing doubled in two days, price capped on Amit Shah's orders

Centre takes over COVID battle

In June, with the rapid increase in Delhi's cases and its COVID positivity, Home Minister Amit Shah ordered Delhi govt to cap the COVID testing rate at Rs 2400. Moreover, he ramped up testing increasing from 4000-5000 daily to 16,618 samples in two days - June 15 and 16, later tripling it 13,000 tests/day - which is Delhi's current testing rate. Here are some of the other key decisions by the Centre -

• A door-to-door health survey will be conducted in Delhi's containment zones
• 500 railway coaches have been alloted which will increase Delhi Hospital's capacity by 8,000 beds.
• Transfer of 4 IAS officers -  Awanish Kumar & Monica Priyadarshini from Andaman & Nicobar, and Gaurav Singh Rajawat & Vikram Singh Mallik from Arunachal Pradesh to New Delhi to assist in COVID management
• MHA has directed attachment to Delhi Government of two senior IAS officers -  SCL Das and SS Yadav from Centre
• Delhi will be given priority to test COVID-19 patients via Rapid Antigen method, approved by ICMR.
• Revised containment strategy recommended by the V K Paul Committee - redrawing the containment zones

DRDO constructs 1000-bed COVID facility; Wards named after soldiers martyred at Galwan

Delhi's 10,000-bed COVID care facility

With the aid of Centre, India's largest COVID Care facility at the Radha Soami Satsang Beas in Delhi was inaugurated by  Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, on Sunday. Similarly, a 1000-bed COVID hospital with 250 ICU beds, to be operated by the Armed Forces Medical Services was inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. This facility has been constructed in just 12 days by the DRDO with Centre and Tata Sons. The Delhi government in coordination with the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)  have conducted a serological survey in Delhi with 20,000 blood samples and has drastically eased the restrictions in the city.