In a move that sends out a signal that Delhi is bracing up for a further surge in coronavirus cases and more hospital admissions, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences on Wednesday issued an order stopping admissions at the Out Patient Department (PD). For the second time since the outbreak of coronavirus, the hospital shut down its OPD admissions that were earlier closed for three months beginning March 24.
AIIMS said the in-patient admissions via OPD were suspended for 14 days. Barring emergency cases, all regular admissions in general and private wards are suspended. Medical Superintendent DK Sharma said “routine consultations in OPDs would run as usual”.
“In view of the need to optimize usage of available inpatient beds for hospitalization of seriously ill emergency/semi-emergency patients, it has been decided to temporarily stop routine OPD admissions to general wards as well as private wards in AIIMS Hospital and all centres with immediate effect for a period of two weeks,” said the circular.
Sharma also said beneficiaries of the Employee Health Scheme would continue to be admitted as clinically warranted. The decision was taken after a detailed discussion and with the approval of the AIIMS director, he added.
Delhi has 894 containment zones as on September 2. A high-level meeting was conducted on Wednesday involving Lt Governor Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Delhi reported 700 cases on August 10. Cases were below 1,000 in the first week of August — August 2, 3 and 4. Three days between August 11 and August 22 saw less than 1,000 cases. Delhi has seen a surge now, with over 2,300 new cases being reported on September 1. On Wednesday, Delhi reported 2,509 cases with 19 deaths. 4,481 deaths have been reported since the outbreak of the pandemic. Delhi has seen 1,79,569 total cases till now.
Taking note of the rapid rise in cases, the Delhi High Court on August 31 directed the Delhi government to establish COVID-19 testing centres at all Inter-State Bus Terminals. The Covid-19 dragon in Delhi is yet to be tamed, the Delhi High Court had remarked.
Doctors say there is increased public movement after easing of lockdown restrictions, non-residents coming to Delhi for treatment, and return of migrants from other states.
Delhi’s third sero-survey started on September 1 and will conclude by September 5. Samples will be collected from around 17,000 individuals. The first-sero survey indicated sero prevalence of 23%; the second indicated prevalence of 29%.
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