Pragati Maidan, Talkatora Indoor Stadium, JLN Stadium may be used as makeshift COVID facilities

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A Delhi government panel has suggested using Pragati Maidan, Talkatora Indoor Stadium, Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium and JLN Stadium as makeshift COVID-19 facilities to deal with the surge in the number of cases in the national capital, an official said Tuesday.

Constituted by Lt Governor Anil Baijal, the panel has also suggested using Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium and Dhyanchand National Stadium for the purpose, the official said.

The LG has asked all concerned officers to invoke Section 50 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 for expeditious procurement and timely setting up of requisite infrastructure, the official said.

"The panel has told the LG that there should be oxygen-supported beds at all these makeshift hospitals. It also recommended setting up intensive care units at these stadiums to deal with the situation," the official told PTI.

The panel's suggestions come on a day when Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said Delhi might have 5.5 lakh COVID-19 cases by July 31 and 80,000 beds would be needed.

Earlier in the day, Baijal chaired a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA).

In the meeting, it was decided to utilise banquet and marriage halls to ramp up medical facilities.

"In the meeting, all concerned officers were directed by the LG to put in all efforts to make sure that the available health infrastructure is ramped up as early as possible," the official said.

In the meeting, Baijal, who is also the DDMA chairman, was informed that Delhi had recorded 29,943 cases till June 8 and 11,357 patients have recovered in the city.

The fatality rate in Delhi is 2.92 per cent as compared to the national average of 2.81 per cent, while the recovery rate is 38 per cent.

The doubling rate of cases is 12.6 days and testing per million population is 13,543 as compared to the national average of 3,531 tests per million population.