Of 136 Covid patients at LNJP, 130 have other problems: CM Kejriwal

Of the 136 Covid patients at the LNJP Hospital at present, 130 had come for treatment of other problems and tested positive at the time of admission, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Tuesday.

After reviewing the situation at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital, he said only six patients had come to the health facility for treatment of Covid, and added that the third wave of the pandemic is "very mild" as compared to the deadly wave in April last year.

"During the last wave, a large number of people had been hospitalised for treatment of Covid. This number is very low this time. Around 2,000 Covid patients are undergoing treatment at hospitals. I believe the number of people who have come for treatment of coronavirus only is very low," Kejriwal told reporters.

 

"Though the number of cases has been rising, the number of hospitalisations has remained very low so far. The number of deaths is also less. But we are prepared for any eventuality," he said.

According to government data, 70 Covid patients died in the national capital in the first 10 days of January. It reported 17 fatalities each on Sunday and Monday.

It recorded 54 fatalities in the last five months -- nine in December, seven in November, four in October, five in September and 29 in August. In July, the virus had claimed 76 lives in the capital.

Government data showed that of the 46 patients who died between January 5 and January 9, as many as 34 had comorbidities such as cancer and heart and liver diseases, while 25 were aged above 60.

Only 11 of the 46 were vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Earlier in the day, the health department issued an advisory asking all hospitals to ensure that serious patients and those having comorbidities are duly attended by specialists.

The government has repeatedly stressed that most Covid cases this time are mild or asymptomatic, not requiring hospitalisation.

According to the latest health bulletin, 1,912 Covid patients are in hospitals. Of them, 65 are on ventilator support.

The city currently has 65,803 active cases of which 44,028 are in home isolation.

According to government estimates, the city may need 28,000 oxygenated beds and 18,000 ICU beds in the worst-case scenario of one lakh new cases daily.

Kejriwal had earlier said his government has made preparations to handle one lakh patients, conduct three lakh tests daily and ensure availability of enough manpower, medicines and medical oxygen.