Omicron Threat: Delhi Govt Directs Pvt Hospitals To Reserve 40% Of Beds For Covid Patients

The government stated in an edict that the positive rate has climbed exponentially from 2.44 percent on December 31, 2021, to more than eight percent on Tuesday.

Representational Image. (Source: Getty Images)

New Delhi: The Delhi government asked all private hospitals and nursing homes with 50 or more beds to reserve at least 40% of their entire bed capacity for Covid patients on Tuesday, following an increase in Omicron variant cases, PTI reported.

The government stated in an edict that the positive rate has climbed exponentially from 2.44 percent on December 31, 2021, to more than eight percent on Tuesday.

Earlier today, Delhi's Health Minister Satyendar Jain said that the national capital is anticipating a daily covid positive rate at around 8.5 percent.

"Today, Delhi is expected to report 5500 COVID cases, with the positivity rate rising to 8.5%," Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain told media persons on Tuesday.

This exceeds the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Red Alert limit of 5 percent. On Monday, the national capital's positivity rate was at 6.46 percent.

It further said that the variant's transmissibility is quite high, and the number of Omicron positive patients in the population is increasing rapidly.

"Therefore, the keepers of all private hospitals/nursing homes having total bed capacity of 50 beds or more are directed to reserve at least 40 per cent of their total bed capacity (i.e. 40 per cent of ward bed capacity and 40 per cent of lCU bed capacity) for Covid patients," read the order issued by the Nursing Home Cell of the Delhi Directorate General of Health Services.

Weekend Curfew Imposed By DDMA To Curb Covid-19 Spread

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has decided to implement a weekend curfew in the national capital due to an increase in COVID-19 cases. Following today's DDMA meeting, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that buses and metro trains will once again run at full seating capacity to reduce crowding outside metro stations and bus stops.

"The DDMA has decided to impose a curfew in Delhi on Saturdays and Sundays to curb COVID-19 surge. All government officials except for those engaged in essential services will work from home. 50 percent workforce of private offices will work from home," he said. According to Sisodia, the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is on the rise.

"Delhi has reported around 11,000 positive cases in the past 8-10 days, of which around 350 patients are in hospital, only 124 patients need oxygen and 7 are on a ventilator," he added.

(With PTI Inputs)