Delhi Govt Issues Advisory to Hospitals Amid Rise in COVID Cases

Key highlights:

• Functional checks ordered for critical medical equipment like ventilators and oxygen systems
• Hospital staff directed to wear masks again as a preventive measure
• COVID testing mandated for 5 percent of ILI cases and 100 percent of SARI cases; all positives sent for genome sequencing

Due to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases, the Delhi government has issued advisory commending hospitals to raise preparedness, including the availability of beds, oxygen, essential medicines, and vaccines to be ensured. Hospitals have been instructed to check the functionality of critical equipment like ventilators, BiPAP machines, oxygen concentrators, and PSA systems.

The health department has also highlighted observance to testing protocols is mandating COVID tests for 5 percent of influenza-like illness (ILI) cases and all severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases. In addition, all positive COVID-19 samples are to be sent for genome sequencing to Lok Nayak Hospital. Mask-wearing among hospital staff has been reestablished as part of standard respiratory protocol all over places.

Despite these measures, health experts’ stress there's currently no evidence that the dominant variants of LF.7 and NB.1.8, both offshoots of the JN.1 sub variant, are more infectious or severe. These variants now make up over two-thirds of sequenced cases in Singapore and Hong Kong, where a point has been linked to declining immunity. Hong Kong’s infection rate has jumped from 1.7 percent in mid-March to 11.4 percent, per its Centre for Health Protection.

Also Read: FDA Advisers Urge COVID Shots to Target JN.1 Variant Strains

India has yet to see a major flow, though Mumbai reported 95 new cases in May. That’s nearly all of Maharashtra’s cases since January. Professor Gautam Menon of Ashoka University warned of a possible increase in flu-like illnesses in the coming months.

Dr. Sandeep Budhiraja of Max Healthcare advised that India remain alert. "Suspected cases, particularly among travelers, should undergo testing and genome sequencing. Isolation should follow if confirmed,” he said. However, he added that widespread public restrictions are currently unnecessary.