Delhi govt sets up 350 isolation beds for int'l travellers, Omicron cases

The Delhi government has set up a total of 350 isolation beds at four places, including the Commonwealth Games village, for international travellers, their contacts and Omicron cases, amid the rising number of COVID-19 infections in the city, according to an official order on Thursday.

In a separate order Director General of Health Services, Delhi government, Dr Nutan Mundeja said that in compliance of guidelines for international arrivals issued by the Health Ministry, institutional isolation of COVID-positive patients arriving at the IGI airport and their contacts will be done at designated paid and free facilities.

The isolation facilities set up at Terapanth Bhawan (100 beds), Sardar Patel COVID Care Centre (100 beds), Commonwealth Games village in Akshardham (50 beds) and Ibis hotel (100 beds) will be linked to hospitals to look after patients, the health department said in the other order.

The Terapanth Bhawan facility will be linked to the Ambedkar Nagar Hospital, Sardar Patel COVID Care Centre with the Madan Mohan Malviya Hospital, the Commonwealth Games village facility in Akshardham with the Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital, and Ibis hotel with the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Dwarka, it said.

The 50 beds at the Commonwealth village facility will be scaled up to 500, the order noted.

The linked hospitals will ensure proper monitoring and adequate supply of logistics to the isolation centres, it said.

Guidelines issued by the Health Ministry on November 30 stipulates that passengers found to be symptomatic during screening at the IGI airport will be immediately isolated and taken to a medical facility.

If tested positive for Covid, their contacts shall be identified and managed as per laid down protocols.

Travellers from 'at risk' countries will be tested at the point of arrival. If they are found to have contracted Covid, their samples would be sent for genomic testing and they will be managed at separate isolation facilities and treated as per laid down standard protocol, including contact-tracing, the guidelines stated.