Amid growing concern over a surge in Covid-19 cases in some countries, including in India, the New Delhi Municipal Council has leapt into action by organising mock drills, holding preparatory meetings and educating people on the pandemic.
NDMC vice-chairman Satish Upadhyay conducted an inspection of the services at a hospital on Tuesday. The New Delhi civic body also called a joint meeting with health officials to verify the Covid arrangements at Charak Palika Hospital in Moti Bagh on the same day. Sharing details about coronavirus preparedness, NDMC Chairman Amit Yadav said the civic body started working soon after the Centre issued an advisory on Covid-19.
"With the Covid-19 advisory from the government, we have already begun working. We are holding inspections in hospitals. We are conducting mock drills and conducting preparatory meetings. We are taking stock of medicine availability," Yadav said. China has been witnessing thousands of cases daily in the last few weeks. On Wednesday, India logged 188 new coronavirus infections with a daily positivity rate of 0.14 per cent and the weekly positivity rate recorded at 0.18 per cent, the Union Health Ministry said.
Meanwhile, Upadhyay said 11 response teams are in action while two hospitals and dispensaries are ready. "We are fully ready to tackle Covid-19. Our oxygen plant is functional. Our team inspected the oxygen plant, pathology lab, haematology lab, biochemistry lab, disaster management ward, isolation centre, sample collection centre, vaccination centre, emergency ward, ICU ward, OPD block and other areas in the hospital," Upadhyay said.
"I also suggested that the hospital install markings for social distancing on a priority," he added. Amid the spike in Covid-19 cases in some countries, the government has sounded an alert and asked states and Union Territories to prepare for any eventuality. Prime Minister Modi and Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya have held meetings to assess the country's preparedness to deal with a fresh surge in cases. The latest spike in cases is being driven by Omicron sub-variant BF.7. According to official sources, the transmissibility of this BF.7 subvariant is very high and an infected person can further infect 16 people.
