Center Bolsters Efforts for COVID Management in Delhi

• Diagnostic material for 4.7 lakh RT-PCR tests and 50,000 Rapid Antigen Test Kits supplied Free of Cost to Delhi Govt by ICMR
• “Sardar Patel COVID Care Centre” at Chhattarpur, a 2000-bedded facility, to be operated by Medical and other Personnel of Central Armed Police Forces

The Centre has been supporting States/UTs in their endeavours for combating the COVID-19 outbreak. The Central Government has extended substantial support to NCT of Delhi for containment and management of COVID-19.
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has supplied diagnostic material for carrying out 4.7 lakh RT-PCR tests to the 12 functional labs in Delhi, till date.  It has also provided 1.57 lakh RNA extraction kits essential for carrying out the test and 2.84 lakh VTMs (Viral Transport Medium) and swabs for collection of Covid-19 samples. Looking at the sudden surge of cases, ICMR has approved Antigen-based Rapid tests and supplied 50,000 such Antigen Rapid Test Kits to Delhi Government for supporting COVID-19 containment efforts. ICMR has provided all these test kits free of cost to Delhi.

National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), under Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, has supported the efforts of the Delhi Government through technical guidance on all aspects of COVID-19 Surveillance and Response Strategy. The areas include identification and assessment of quarantine facilities and COVID Care Centres (CCC) at the beginning of epidemic; orientation training and technical support on surveillance, contact tracing and lab aspects including infection prevention and control; data analysis and timely feedback to the Delhi Government on the gaps identified and suggested solutions. NCDC has also provided laboratory diagnostic support for the processing of samples by RT-PCR including training of lab professionals of Delhi Government.

Technical support by NCDC included the deployment of multiple Central Teams of experts for situational analysis and subsequent recommendations accordingly; deployment of public health experts to coordinate and provide technical inputs to district level teams in the implementation of revised Delhi COVID Response Plan; and planning and execution of Seroprevalence study on COVID 19 in Delhi. The Revised Delhi COVID Response Plan has been prepared with the active support of NCDC.

NCDC will also conduct a Serological Survey across Delhi from 27th June 2020 to 10th July 2020. Blood samples from 20,000 persons will be tested to ascertain the presence of anti-bodies.

As an effort to bolster the containment measures in NCT of Delhi, a 10,000-bedded “Sardar Patel COVID Care Centre” is being developed at Radha Soami Satsang Beas in Chhatarpur, Delhi. The entire operation of this Centre, including ensuring the availability of requisite numbers of medical personnel, has been entrusted to the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), with Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) taking the lead in this process. Around 2,000 beds are being made operational.

A 1000- bedded new greenfield hospital constructed by DRDO and manned by doctors and paramedical staff from Army would start functioning next week from an area near Dhaula Kuan. This new field hospital would have a referral relationship with AIIMS, New Delhi.  The hospital would be equipped with oxygen, ventilators as well as an ICU.

The Government of India has centrally procured and distributed 11.11 lakh N95 masks, 6.81 lakh PPE kits, 44.80 lakhs HCQ tablets in Delhi. 425 ventilators were allocated to Delhi and all have been delivered to various hospitals of GNCT.

Delhi has 34 Dedicated COVID Hospitals (DCH), 4 Dedicated COVID Health Centres (DCHC), 24 Dedicated COVID Centers (DCCC) to treat COVID-19 patients according to their severity. Thus, a total of 62 facilities in Delhi are engaged in treating COVID-19. The number of these facilities is being increased on a daily basis.

Delhi Government has been advised to conduct the assessment in respect of every dead individual (from COVID-19) as regards how many days before death the person was brought to the hospital and from where. A special focus has to be given about whether the person was in home isolation and whether the person was brought to the hospital at the right time or not. Every death has to be reported in a timely manner to the Government of India. All hospitals have been given strict directions that there should be no delays in handing over the dead bodies to their next of kin and performing last rites of COVID-19 deceased patients.