How bad could the Coronavirus pandemic get in Delhi?

New Delhi, June 10: The coronavirus situation in Delhi is worsening with the emergence of several incidents of people unable to get treatment on time for Covid-19, even as CM Arvind Kejriwal keeps trying to portray publicly that the situation is under control.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led government, which had said it would follow a 5T plan (testing, tracing, treatment, teamwork and tracking) to limit the growing number of cases, is now struggling.

Eight labs have been stopped from testing for Covid-19 with investigations pending against them. People are finding it difficult to get themselves tested.

Mathematical models of the progression of COVID-19 show it would be "possible" for Delhi to have 5.5 lakh cases by the end of July.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has warned that coronavirus cases in the national capital could reach 44,000 by the middle of this month, 1,00,000 by June end, 2,50,000 by mid-July and 5,50,000 by July end.

However, the central government has ruled out that there's no community transmission of Covid19 in the state. The doubling rate of coronavirus infections in Delhi is 12 to 13 days.

However, state health minister Satyendar Jain on Monday had hinted that the Capital's doubling rate of 14 days, and, thus the city could see 56,000 cases after two weeks.

in 50 per cent of the cases, the source of infection is "not known" in nearly half of the fresh cases being reported.

The national capital will need 6,600 beds by mid-June, 15,000 by end-June, 33,000 by mid-July and 80,000 by the end of next month.

"This is the reason the Delhi cabinet had decided to reserve the beds only for the city residents but it was overturned by the LG [Lieutenant Governor]. Now, who will take the responsibility if the cases keep on increasing and the beds are full?" asked Sisodia.

According to reports, 8,821 hospital beds, 582 ICU beds, 468 ventilators and 3,590 beds with oxygen support were currently available for Covid-19 patients, 500 additional beds had been earmarked in state-run health facilities while a new hospital in Burari with 450 beds would be ready by June 20.

Another 2,000 beds are likely to be added by June 15 by linking more star hotels with hospitals.

Hospitals only for Delhi residents

The Kejriwal government had issued an order on Sunday that Delhi government and private hospitals will be reserved for residents of the capital.

Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Monday overruled the two controversial orders of the AAP government on reserving Delhi government-run and private hospitals in the national capital for Delhiites and allowing COVID-19 test of only symptomatic patients.

Mismatch between app data and ground reality

The data provided by the app, which shows the number of available and occupied beds in hospitals in the national capital did not match with the ground reality. Several people complained last week that while the app shows that hospitals have beds, they or people they know have been denied admission in these places.

The app has been a failure. There are many such cases in Delhi, where Covid-19 patients are not able to get treatment on time.