Amid spike in Dengue cases, Delhi govt allows hospitals to divert one-third of beds reserved for COVID-19 patients

The Delhi government on Saturday allowed the hospitals in the national capital to divert one-third of beds reserved only for COVID-19 patients to the patients of Dengue, Malaria and Chikungunya, as per the official order.

The Delhi Health and Welfare department passed an order after observing the rise in cases of the above-mentioned vector born diseases.

"All the hospitals under the GNCT of Delhi may use one-third of the beds reserved for treating Covid patients, including ICU beds, for treating patients of vector-borne diseases like Dengue/Malaria/Chikungunya, if required," read the order.

The order also stated that "many of the beds reserved for COVID-19 cases are lying vacant due to the decline in the number of coronavirus cases."

Earlier, the Delhi government had reduced 750 reserved beds for treating COVID-19 patients to 450 beds at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) hospital.

Similarly, at Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital, the beds have been reduced from 600 to 350.

( With inputs from ANI )