New Delhi: With active Covid-19 cases in Delhi touching 104, the city’s top leadership has swung into action to curb a potential resurgence. Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta jointly chaired a review meeting at Raj Niwas on Tuesday to evaluate preparedness and outline preventive strategies.
Delhi now ranks third nationally in new Covid-19 infections, following Kerala and Maharashtra. The latest update shows 99 fresh cases in the capital, compared to 153 in Maharashtra and 335 in Kerala.
Taking stock of the rising numbers, Delhi Chief Secretary has instructed all government and private hospitals, along with sample collection centers, to conduct genome sequencing for all positive Covid-19 samples. This step is crucial in identifying virus variants and tracking mutations.
Genome sequencing operations are already underway at LNJP Hospital, one of the city’s key Covid-19 facilities. The hospital has been designated as the nodal center for identifying virus strains. Covid-19 testing centers across Delhi have been directed to send all samples from positive cases to LNJP. AIIMS has also begun routing its patient samples to the facility for sequencing.
In a parallel move, the Medical Superintendents of Delhi government hospitals have been told to audit their readiness, ensuring uninterrupted oxygen supply, the availability of Covid-19 treatment drugs, ICU beds, vaccines, and essential life-saving equipment.
Though officials have reassured that the situation remains manageable, the government isn’t taking any chances. “The recovery rate is encouraging. Since May 19, at least 24 patients have been discharged post-recovery,” said a senior health department officer.
To streamline data collection and early detection, the Delhi government has issued a fresh advisory to all clinical departments, asking them to report confirmed Covid-19 and influenza cases daily to the Medical Record Department in a specified format.
The renewed focus on surveillance, infrastructure readiness, and genomic tracking reflects the administration’s proactive stance in preventing a potential surge and ensuring that Delhi remains prepared for any future escalation.