6 private hospitals now Covid-dedicated in Delhi: Health Minister Satyendar Jain

New Delhi: Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Thursday announced that six private hospitals have been made fully Covid-dedicated in the city with three new additions on Wednesday.

Speaking to the media, he said some private hospitals were finding it difficult to have mixed beds -- Covid and non-Covid -- and so they will be made fully Covid-dedicated in the coming times.

"To ensure enough beds, we have taken a number of steps. Five of Delhi government hospitals have been made fully Covid-dedicated," Jain said.

20 per cent beds in 61 private hospitals have been reserved for Covid patients.

"We had three private Covid-dedicated hospitals till yesterday and three new ones were made fully dedicated from Wednesday."

Jain said those having no or mild symptoms should not run to hospital and can stay at home and be cured.

On May 24, the Delhi government directed 117 private hospitals and nursing homes with a capacity of 50 beds or more to reserve 20 per cent of their total bed strength for coronavirus patients, with the increasing number of cases in Delhi.

So far, Delhi has reported 23,645 Covid-19 cases with 606 deaths.