More than 800 COVID-19 deaths and over 29,000 infections have been reported in Delhi and Delhi’s health minister Satyendar Jain today said that the source of the infection was unknown in 50% cases. Jain said that his government “can only term this community transmission if the Centre admits”. He further added that the AIIMS director has said that community transmission is taking place but the Centre has not confirmed yet.
In another development in New Delhi, Lt Governor Anil Baijal has called for an all-party meeting to discuss the COVID-19 outbreak. This has come just a day after he overruled chief minister Arvind Kejriwal who had announced that Delhi government-run hospitals would be reserved for Delhi residents.
After the meeting ended, Delhi’s deputy chief minister, Manish Sisodia said that by July end, cases in New Delhi could cross 5.5 lakh and the requirement of beds would go up to 80,000.
Sisodia painted a grim picture of the expected rise in COVID-19 cases. He said that models, drawn up with a doubling rate pegged at 12.6 days, came to this conclusion.
The statement by the deputy chief minister came after the Delhi government insisted that there was no shortage of beds in the state.
After these developments in the afternoon, former Delhi minister from Congress, Ajay Maken moved the National Human Rights Commission to Seek Directions for the city administration to reserve 70% hospital beds for coronavirus patients. On twitter, Maken wrote that as of today only 8% of over 57,000 beds are reserved for COVID-19.