HC seeks report from Delhi govt after review meeting over reserving ICU beds for COVID-19 patients

The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government to file on record the outcome of the review meeting on the reservation of 80 per cent ICU beds in 33 private hospitals in the national capital for the COVID-19 patients.

The Bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad was informed by the Delhi government counsel that a meeting of the expert committee which is reviewing the Covid-19 condition in the national capital would take place on January 5.

After the submission, the Court adjourned the matter for January 8 before the roster bench and directed the Delhi government to file its status report regarding the outcome of the expert committee meeting.

The status report filed before the court by the Delhi government said that the committee has recommended decreasing of reservation of 80 per cent COVID ICU beds to 60 per cent, freeing up 20 per cent Covid ICU beds for non-COVID patients.

The Status report states, "The new UK strain of COVID-19 is a new development which has witnessed itself to the country very recently. The new strain situation is still evolving in the country. About 20,622 persons have landed from the UK in Delhi, from November 25, 2020, to December 23, 2020. Further till now, about 19 UK returnees have tested positive and their genome sequencing in underway in NCDC. In view of the unfolding situation of the new strain, we are of the view that we should take abundant precaution and abrupt de-escalation."

"We should also be aware that we are at the cusp of the New Year 2021. We just had Christmas celebrations. The upcoming celebrations shall entail gatherings which may trigger super spreader event," it said.

Earlier on December 24, the Delhi government's additional standing counsel Sanjoy Ghose told the court that Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) and the concerned committee meetings are taking place and the issue of new strain is being discussed.

Senior advocate Mnder Singh, who was appearing on behalf of the petitioner submitted that one after another committees are getting constituted by respondents. They are sitting over the rooms of private hospitals, he submitted.

The Court earlier asked the Delhi government to consider reviewing its decision reserving 80 per cent ICU beds for COVID-19 patients only in 33 private hospitals.

On November 12, the Delhi High Court's division bench has vacated a stay imposed by a single-judge bench on the AAP government's order on the reservation of 80 per cent ICU beds in 33 private hospitals for COVID-19 patients observing that there is a rise in COVID-19 infections in the national capital.

Earlier, a single-judge bench had stayed the order passed by the Delhi government instructing private hospitals in Delhi to reserve 80 per cent of ICU beds for COVID-19 patients, while hearing a petition moved by the Association of Healthcare Providers India.

( With inputs from ANI )