Centre has been extending substantial support to NCT of Delhi for containment and management of COVID-19. Indian Council of Medical Research has supplied diagnostic material to conduct 4.7 lakh RT-PCR tests to the 12 functional labs in Delhi, till date. It has also provided 1.57 lakh RNA extraction kits essential for carrying out the test and 2.84 lakh VTMs (Viral Transport Medium) and swabs for collection of COVID-19 samples.

Looking at the sudden surge of cases, ICMR has approved Antigen-based Rapid tests and supplied 50 thousand such Antigen Rapid Test Kits to Delhi Government for supporting COVID-19 containment efforts. ICMR has provided all these test kits free of cost to Delhi.

National Centre for Disease Control under Health Ministry has supported the efforts of Delhi Government through technical guidance on all aspects of COVID-19 Surveillance and Response Strategy. NCDC will also conduct a Serological Survey across Delhi from today to 10th July. Blood samples from 20 thousand people will be tested to ascertain the presence of anti-bodies.

As an effort to bolster the containment measures, a 10,000-bedded “Sardar Patel COVID Care Centre” is being developed at Radha Soami Satsang Beas in Chhatarpur, Delhi. The entire operation of this Centre, including ensuring availability of requisite numbers of medical personnel, has been entrusted to the Central Armed Police Forces, with Indo-Tibetan Border Police taking the lead in this process. Around 2,000 beds are being made operational.

A 1000- bedded new green field hospital constructed by DRDO and manned by doctors and paramedical staff from Army would start functioning next week from an area near Dhaula Kuan. This new field hospital would have a referral relationship with AIIMS, New Delhi. The hospital would be equipped with oxygen, ventilators as well as an ICU.

Delhi has 34 dedicated COVID Hospitals, 4 dedicated COVID Health Centres and 24 dedicated COVID Centers to treat COVID-19 patients according to their severity. Thus, a total of 62 facilities in Delhi are engaged in treating COVID-19. The number of these facilities is being increased on a daily basis.

Meanwhile, 17th meeting of the high-level Group of Ministers, GoM was held in New Delhi today to review, monitor and evaluate the evolving situation due to COVID-19. The meeting was chaired by Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan through video conferencing. Foreign Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey attended the meeting. The GoM was briefed on the present status of COVID-19 cases in the country along with recovery and mortality rates, doubling rate, testing mechanism and healthcare infrastructure.

The Health Minister said that more than three lakh people have recovered from the coronavirus. He added that the recovery rate is over 58 per cent in the country. He said, our country is fighting against COVID-19 better than any country in the world. The Minister said, healthcare and testing infrastructure have been ramped up and adequate arrangements have been made to deal with every situation. He informed that about 13 lakh beds are available in the country for Covid patients. He said, India now has one thousand 26 government and private laboratories for testing of corona virus samples and in future the number will be increased. He said, 2,20,479 tests of Corona virus samples were conducted by the various laboratories in the country within 24 hours.