Delhi govt likely to use rapid antigen test kits in containment zones from June 20
11:26 PM
Centre forms three teams to inspect Covid hospitals in Delhi, suggest measures for improvement
10:51 PM
Delhi looks at stepping up testing
As Delhi prepares to ramp up testing for the coronavirus infection, Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Monday said laboratory facilities under the Centre in the national capital are being extended to the city government, while all labs and hospitals have been directed to work on their full potential to step up testing.
The Delhi government is likely to use rapid antigen kits for testing in containment zones and healthcare settings from June 20, officials said.
The move comes after the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) advocated the use of rapid antigen test kits for diagnosis of Covid-19 in containment zones and healthcare settings in combination with the RT-PCR test.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah met leaders of various political parties in the national capital.
10:42 PM
Delhi govt asks its PWD to install CCTV cameras in Covid-19 wards within 24 hours
10:40 PM
DDMA's meeting to discuss capping hospital charges postponed
A crucial meeting of the Delhi Diaster Management Authority to discuss capping private hospital and ambulance charges amidst allegations of exorbitant cost of Covid-19 treatment has been postponed, officials said on Monday.
Lt Governor Anil Baijal, who is also the DDMA chairman, had called the meeting on Tuesday (June 16) to discuss several important issues such as setting up of large makeshift hospitals, reduction in testing charges by private labs, and empowerment of resident welfare associations (RWA) by providing oxymeters and oxygen cylinders to deal with the pandemic.
"The DDMA meeting, which was scheduled to take place tomorrow, has been postponed. A new date will be decided later this week," an official said.
9:17 PM
73 deaths and 1647 new positive cases reported in Delhi today; the total in national capital now reaches 42,829, death toll 1400
9:00 PM
Amid spike in Covid-19 cases, North Western Railway to rush 150 isolation coaches to Delhi
The railways have decided to provide isolation coaches in Delhi amidst an increase in the spread of coronavirus infections in the national capital, officials said on Monday. On the instructions of the Railway Board, the North Western Railway (NWR), which is headquartered in Jaipur, will be sending 150 such coaches to Delhi, the officials said.
According to Chief PRO (NWR) Abhay Sharma, NWR has converted 266 coaches as isolation coaches keeping in view the spike in coronavirus cases at its different divisions in pursuance of the directions from the Board. The Railway Board has taken the initiative on the recommendation of the Delhi government, the NWR spokesperson said.
Of these, Ajmer division has converted 85 coaches, Jodhpur division 83 coaches, Bikaner division 50 coaches and Jaipur division 48 coaches into isolation coaches," he said. Apart from the first batch of 150 coaches that are being sent to Delhi, the remaining coaches will be sent as per requirement in future.
8:53 PM
Amit Shah visits LNJP hospital; orders CCTV in Covid-19 wards of all designated hospitals
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday directed the Delhi Chief Secretary to install CCTV cameras in Covid-19 wards of every designated hospital in the national capital for proper monitoring, and alternative canteens for uninterrupted supply of food to the patients.
After paying a surprise visit to the Lok Nayak Jay Prakash Narayan (LNJP) hospital here to review arrangements related to Covid-19, Shah also suggested psychosocial counselling of doctors and nurses engaged in the service of humanity through fight against coronavirus.
The home minister directed the Delhi Chief Secretary to install CCTV cameras in Covid-19 wards of every coronavirus-designated hospital, so that there is proper monitoring and problems of patients can be resolved, a home ministry statement said.
8:43 PM
Modi govt will leave no stone unturned to help people in need: Amit Shah after visiting LNJP hospital in Delhi
8:36 PM
Coronavirus LIVE: Delhi govt orders labs to ramp up Covid-19 testing to meet demand
The Delhi government on Monday issued a slew of guidelines for government and private labs after the Central Government's decision to ramp up testing in the city.
Delhi has the third-highest Covid-19 count after Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. The capital's tally of coronavirus infections has touched 41,182 as the number of deaths due to the disease climbed to 1,327. The AAP government ordered all laboratories to work with full potential and increase testing capacity so that demand can be met. The city government further directed that no samples should be taken without RT-PCR and that they should be taken by strictly following the ICMR guidelines.
There is no limit on the maximum number of samples that can be sent for testing in private labs, they said, adding that the labs will have to give results in 24-48 hours. There are a total of 42 labs to test the corona samples in Delhi, out of which 18 are government labs and 24 private ones. Home Minister Amit Shah had on Monday chaired an all-party meeting in the wake of a spurt in novel coronavirus cases in the national capital.
8:14 PM
Coronavirus LIVE update: Delhi BJP to distribute 'kadha' to fight Covid-19
In a rather bizarre move, the Delhi unit of the BJP has decided to start distributing 'Kadha' (a liquid made of herbal extracts) among residents of Delhi to fight Covid-19.
"Delhi BJP has started a campaign to distribute the decoction to the needy, so that people can be protected from coronavirus by boosting their immunity," said the Delhi BJP Chief Adesh Kumar Gupta on Monday.
He added that BJP cadres will distribute as much as 10 lakh bottles of 'kadha' along with sanitizers and face masks. He announced that the Delhi BJP has also created a team of doctors that will work as a help desk and advise people. Meanwhile, cadres will carry on the campaign with social distancing norms, said Gupta.
Earlier in the day, Gupta said that he demanded that rates in private hospitals treating COVID-19 patients be fixed, during the all party meeting called by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who seems to have taken charge to salvage the rising corona tally in the national capital.
7:51 PM
Coronavirus LIVE: Amit Shah directs Delhi Chief Secy to install CCTV cameras in coronavirus wards
Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah on Monday directed the Delhi Chief Secretary to install CCTV cameras in coronavirus wards of every Covid-19 hospital.
"Amit Shah directed the Delhi Chief Secretary to install CCTV cameras in Corona wards of every Corona hospital, so that there is proper monitoring and problems of patients can also be resolved," a government release said.
The minister also visited Lok Nayak Jay Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital to review arrangements related to Covid-19. He directed the Delhi Chief Secretary that back-ups for canteens supplying food should also be established so that in case there is an infection in one canteen, patients can continue to get food without disruption.
"We told the Home Minister in detail about the facilities at the hospital. He was very happy with our work and appreciated our staff," said Suresh Kumar, Medical Director of Delhi's LNJP Hospital.
7:47 PM
Home Minister Amit Shah paid surprise visit to Lok Nayak Jay Prakash Narayan Hospital in New Delhi
7:46 PM
Delhi BJP, AAP to fight Covid-19 together after Amit Shah meeting; Congress slams them for rising cases
After a meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday, Delhi's ruling AAP and the main opposition BJP said Covid-19 needs to be fought keeping political differences aside, while the Congress hit out at the Centre and the Delhi government for pandemic surge in the city. Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta and AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh sharing details of the meeting said testing will be increased to 18,000 per day from June 20.
Singh said it was decided in the meeting that politics should be kept away in fighting the pandemic. He said increasing number of hospital beds for coronavirus patients was also discussed in the meeting. Gupta said a Central team will give a report on capping private hospital charges after which action will be taken to control arbitrary rates charged by them. The party also demanded halving the lab test charges for Covid-19, he said.
"In this hour of crisis, we should fight against the pandemic together instead of trading charges," the Delhi BJP chief said after the meeting.
7:18 PM
Delhi BJP, AAP to fight Covid-19 together after Shah meeting; Cong slams them for case surge
After a meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday, Delhi's ruling AAP and the main opposition BJP said Covid-19 needs to be fought keeping political differences aside, while the Congress hit out at the Centre and the Delhi government for pandemic surge in the city. Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta and AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh sharing details of the meeting said testing will be increased to 18,000 per day from June 20.
Singh said it was decided in the meeting that politics should be kept away in fighting the pandemic. He said increasing number of hospital beds for coronavirus patients was also discussed in the meeting. Gupta said a Central team will give a report on capping private hospital charges after which action will be taken to control arbitrary rates charged by them. The party also demanded halving the lab test charges for Covid-19, he said.
"In this hour of crisis, we should fight against the pandemic together instead of trading charges," the Delhi BJP chief said after the meeting.
Delhi coronavirus LIVE updates: Delhi recorded its highest single-day spike of 2,224 in coronavirus cases on Monday, taking its total to 41,182. In the past 7 days alone, the national capital has added 13,528 cases, or 33% of all its cases. While 15,823 patients have recovered, 1,327 have died so far. Today, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is holding an all-party meeting to review the management of Covid-19 situation in Delhi.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Monday that there was no plan for another lockdown in Delhi even as the number of novel coronavirus cases continue to spurt.
Unable to keep up with the rising number of coronavirus cases, the Delhi government had earlier asked the Indian Railways to allocate isolation coaches for Covid-19 patients of the national capital. At least, 500 railway coaches, with a combined capacity of 8,000 beds, have been allocated to Delhi. Private hospitals, too, have been told to earmark 60 per cent of beds for Covid-19 patients at lower rates.
The Arvind Kejirwal-led Delhi government has estimated that the city could witnessed around 550,000 cases by the end of July.
 "Coronavirus in Delhi LIVE: PWD told to install CCTV in Covid-19 wards")
