New Delhi: Amid a surge in Covid-19 and seasonal influenza cases, Delhi government hospitals will conduct a mock drill to take stock of their preparedness, health infrastructure and logistics, news agency PTI reported.


According to a senior health official, an order has been issued to the medical superintendents, medical directors and chief district medical officers (CDMOs) by the Delhi health department.


"All the MS/MDs and CDMOs of all the hospitals of Delhi government are hereby requested to hold a mock drill on 26.03.2023 (Sunday) to check the preparedness of health, infrastructure, and logistics including availability of oxygen, so as to prepare for any eventuality, especially in view of increasing COVID-19 and influenza type cases," the order stated.




The mock drill will be conducted by all the government hospitals in Delhi and a report on it will be submitted by Sunday evening Monday morning, with details on a list of parameters mentioned in an earlier order dated March 23, the order said.


It is to be noted that Delhi has been witnessing a surge in the number of Covid cases over the last few days, amid a sharp rise in H3N2 influenza cases across the country.


The national capital logged 152 coronavirus cases with an increased positivity rate of 6.66 per cent on Friday.


A day before on Thursday, Delhi had clocked 117 Covid cases and the positivity rate stood at 4.95 per cent.


According to the March 23 order, in view of the daily uptick in COVID-19 cases in Delhi over the last few weeks, medical directors, medical superintendents, administrators of all government and private hospitals were asked to ensure that all equipment such as ventilators, bi-pap, oxygen concentrators, PSA are in functional condition.


The order further stated that all severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) and five per cent of influenza like illness (ILI) patients should be tested for Covid-19 as well as seasonal influenza H1N1/H3N2.