Moderate, severe category suspected COVID patients can't be denied admission: Delhi govt

New Delhi, June 06: Suspected COVID-19 patients, ranging moderate to severe categories, cannot be denied admission by any hospital in Delhi, according to an official order released on Saturday.

The decision comes in the wake of several complaints that people showing symptoms of coronavirus infection are not allowed to get admitted in various facilities.

At a virtual press conference earlier in the day, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal came down heavily on various hospitals here for their "refusal" to admit suspected COVID-19 patients.

According to the order, all hospitals operating in Delhi, whether run by the city government, Centre, local bodies, the army or private facilities, shall ensure no patient who has COVID-19 symptoms and falls in moderate or severe category is denied admission on the pretext that he or she does not have a coronavirus test report.

The directions have been given to medical superintendents, medical directors and heads of various facilities in Delhi.

The order says all such patients can be kept in COVID-19 suspected patients area till their test reports are received. Kejriwal also shared a copy of the order on Twitter.

"Accordingly, if found positive, then he/she shall be kept in a COVID hospital or shall be transfer to a non-COVID hospital for further management," it said.