NEW DELHI (INDIA) – The Indian government on Wednesday called in the army to manage new COVID treatment centres with thousands of additional hospital beds in New Delhi. On the same day, as many as 16,000 new coronavirus cases were reported, the highest daily increase since the outbreak began.
At more than 456,000 confirmed coronavirus cases so far, India is the fourth worst hit country in the world, behind the United States, Brazil and Russia, revealed a Reuters tally.
Cases are expected to rise as state governments ease restrictions in place since lockdown was first imposed in late March.
New Delhi, the capital with a population of more than 20 million people, also recorded its highest single-day increase on Wednesday, with more than 3,900 infections. Local government data showed that of the roughly 13,400 beds allocated to COVID-19 patients in the city, around 6,200 were occupied.
According to the federal home ministry, the city would have around 20,000 additional beds available by next week at temporary facilities run by army doctors and nurses.
These include a 10,000 bed facility hosted at a religious centre and railway coaches turned into wards.
“Armed Forces personnel have been detailed for providing medical care and attention to COVID-19 patients housed in the Railway coaches in Delhi,” Home Minister Amit Shah said.
The city government estimates it will have 550,000 COVID-19 cases by the end of July, requiring 150,000 beds.
Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that a new federal government order to take every positive patient to an assessment centre as opposed to evaluating them at home was stretching already limited resources.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field