Indian capital Delhi to convert luxury hotels into care centres for 'mild' coronavirus patients

The Indian capital territory of Delhi has come up with a new solution to deal with the ongoing influx of COVID-19 cases.

Delhi, officially a Union Territory, has been one of the hardest regions in the country. Now, to keep up with the increasing number of patients, luxury hotels in the city are being converted into care wards for the infected.

This marks the first government in the country to requisition its hotels. Starting today, June 22 - 25 hotels across the capital city will be converted into coronavirus care centres. However, these will be used for people with mild to moderate symptoms. Severe cases will still be stationed in hospitals.

India’s healthcare system has been struggling as the number of cases continue to break records in the country everyday.

A health official collects a swab sample from a man to test for the COVID-19 coronavirus at a temporary free testing facility set up in a school after authorities eased restrictions imposed as a preventive measure against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, in New Delhi on June 19, 2020 | AFP
 

The Guardian reported that many hotel staff members are undergoing medical training to administer care to COVID-19 patients.

One of the trainers involved in the process of training the staff told the Guardian that they were “frightened for their safety”.

Also read: India’s Covid-19 cases per lakh population one of the lowest globally: Union health ministry

However, medical personnel are expected to be present on the premises at all times. As part of regular protocol, they will be expected to wear PPE kits and to ensure hospital grade sanitisation.

To ensure communication between Delhi’s healthcare apparatus and the hotels, each hotel shall be linked with the nearest coronavirus health facility.

Currently, the city has 9,000 beds for the patients. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had recently claimed that they would need 150,000 beds by the end of July.

The city has registered 59,000+cases of coronavirus so far. Out of these 33,013 have recovered, while 2,175 have succumbed to the virus.