Delhi Govt orders three hospitals to reserve 10% beds for COVID-19 patients of EWS

As the coronavirus cases in the National Capital are increasing, Delhi Health Department on Wednesday ordered three hospitals to provide 10 per cent of their beds to COVID-19 patients of Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) free of cost. The three hospitals include Mool Chand Khairati Lal Hospital, Saroj Super Speciality Hospital and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

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Delhi has recorded a single-day spike of 1,513 cases which took the COVID-19 tally past the 23,000-mark on Wednesday, and the death toll climbed to 606, authorities said. The previous highest single-day spike of 1,298 cases was recorded on Tuesday.

"It has been observed that there has been a surge in number of positive cases of COVID-19 in the last one week in Delhi and resulting in additional demand of beds in the hospital in an isolation ward as well in ICU," said an order.

"In view of above and to augment the beds' availability for COVID-19 patients these hospitals are declared COVID hospital," said the order.

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Distribution of beds at the 3 hospitals

The order further informed that Sir Ganga Ram hospital is allowed to keep 20 per cent beds for non-COVID patients. The hospital has a total of 208 beds among which 457 will be paid and EWS will get 51 beds. While Mool Chand Khairati Lal Hospital has a total of 140 COVID-19 beds out of which 126 will be paid and 14 free of cost to EWS. And Saroj Super Speciality Hospital has 154 beds in total among which 139 will be paid COVID-19 beds and 15 for EWS.

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COVID-19 cases in Delhi

The Delhi health department in its bulletin said that the death toll due to coronavirus has risen to 606 and the number of cases has mounted to 23,645 in the national capital. A total of 50 fatalities were reported on June 2, the bulletin said, adding that these lives were lost between April 15 and June 1.

It, however, said the cumulative death figure refers to fatalities where the primary cause of death was found to be COVID-19, according to a report of the Death Audit Committee on the basis of the case-sheets received from various hospitals. On Tuesday, the number of coronavirus cases in Delhi stood at 22,132, including 556 deaths.

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(With inputs from agency)