Will move SC to reserve ICU beds in private hosps: Jain

New delhi: The Delhi government is all set to approach the Supreme Court against an order of the Delhi High Court, staying its direction of reserving 80 per cent ICU beds in 33 private hospitals here exclusively for COVID-19 patients, Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Wednesday after admitting that the Capital was in the middle of the third wave of the pandemic.

"The high court has put a stay on it, so we are going to appeal in the Supreme Court." Around 800 extra ICU beds would have been available otherwise, he added.

And while Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also said Delhi had entered the third wave, he added on Wednesday that there is no need to panic. He said, "We have been monitoring the situation continuously and there is no need to panic."

However, the CM added, "The Delhi government had increased their numbers (ICU beds in private hospitals) but, unfortunately, the Delhi High Court stayed our decision. We are moving the Supreme Court today to urge it to vacate the

stay."

As for the recent surge, Jain said in the initial days of the pandemic, more cases were coming from congested areas. "This time, more cases are being recorded in upper-middle-class and middle-class segments, and they have an inclination to go to private hospitals. But treatment protocols are the same in private and government hospitals. Beds are available in government facilities," he

said.