Govt Says It’s Ready To Tackle Rising Virus Cases

Women scan residents from Dharavi, one of Asia's largest slums, with an infrared thermometer to check their temperature as a precautionary measure against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Mumbai on April 11, 2020

India said on Sunday its hospital network is adequately prepared to tackle the spread of the coronavirus, with over 100,000 beds ready to cater to a potential surge in patient numbers.

The number of people infected in India rose to 8,447 on Sunday, a rapid rise from fewer than 1,000 two weeks ago. Some 273 people have died.

Senior Health Ministry official Lav Agarwal told a daily media briefing that the country is being “over-prepared, extra cautious”, and had almost 106,000 hospital beds in 601 hospitals to cater to any surge in patient numbers.

“The country is ready to fight this epidemic,” he said.

Officials have said widespread virus infections could be disastrous in a country where millions live in slums, and the health system is already overburdened.

There has been mounting concern that the financial hub Mumbai, which accounts for around 1,250 cases, is becoming a hotspot for the disease. Local authorities are battling the infection’s spread through the city’s densely populated slum areas.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to extend a 21-day nationwide lockdown due to end Tuesday, according to a state chief minister with knowledge of discussions among top officials. The Central government has yet to make an announcement on this.

States such as Maharashtra, home to Mumbai, and at least three others have already said independently they will extend lockdowns to the end of April.