20,000 beds for COVID-19 patients in Delhi by next week: Shah

(Updating)

New Delhi, Jun 23 () Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said 20,000 beds, including 250 in ICUs, will be ready for COVID-19 patients in Delhi by next week.

In a series of tweets, he said of the 20,000 beds for the coronavirus infected people, a 10,000-bed care centre will be operationalised by June 26.

A 1,000-bed full-fledged hospital with 250 ICU beds is being developed and the facility, to be manned by armed forces personnel, will be ready in the next 10 days, he said.

"Dear Kejriwal ji, It has already been decided in our meeting 3 days back and MHA has assigned the work of operating the 10,000 bed COVID Care Centre at Radha Swami Beas in Delhi to ITBP. The work is in full swing and a large part of the facility will be operational by 26th Jun," he said.

Shah said this after Kejriwal wrote to him inviting him to inspect the 10,000-bedded centre and requested him for deployment of doctors and nurses from ITBP and Army at the Centre.

"I would also like to inform the people of Delhi that a 1,000 bed full-fledged hospital with 250 ICU beds is being developed for Covid patients. DRDO and Tata Trust are building the facility. Armed forces personnel will man it. This Covid Care centre will be ready in next 10 days," Shah said.

He also said the armed forces personnel have been detailed for providing medical care and attention to COVID-19 patients housed in railway coaches in Delhi.

Besides, the Home Ministry said in a statement quoting Shah, that armed forces personnel have been detailed for providing medical care and attention to COVID patients housed in the Railway coaches in Delhi.

The home minister said 8,000 additional beds have already been placed at Delhi government's disposal for making COVID Care Centres, as per requirement.

"With this, around 20,000 beds, including 250 ICU beds, for COVID patients will be available in the National Capital by next week," the statement said.

Responding to Shah's tweets, Kejriwal thanked him for helping the AAP government and Delhiites in these difficult circumstances.

"The country's Army, doctors, social organisations, central government and Delhi government - all are working unitedly for Delhi.

"I am sure that we all will beat Corona together. Thank you for helping the Delhi government and the people of Delhi in these difficult circumstances," Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi. ACB BUN ZMN