Govt. reduces COVID-19 beds

Decision comes after rise in demand for non-COVID beds

The Delhi government on Monday reduced the number of beds for COVID-19 treatment in government facilities and allowed for reduction of such beds in private hospitals, according to official orders. On April 18, the Delhi government had directed all private hospitals and nursing homes providing COVID-19-related treatment in the city to reserve at least 80% of their ICU bed capacity and 80% of their ward bed capacity for COVID-19-related treatment, the order said. “It has been observed that there are 22,220 COVID beds vacant and there is a rising demand for non-COVID beds for treatment of non-COVID patients. Hence, keeping in view the large number of unoccupied COVID beds, the competent authority decided that private hospitals having bed capacity of 100 beds or more, oxygen beds may be reduced to 30% of their total bed capacity or three times of occupancy as on June 16, whichever is more. Further, for private hospitals having bed capacity of less than 100 beds will have an option to keep COVID beds in their hospitals,” an order issued on Monday read.