COVID-19 testing in Delhi ten times more than UP, Haryana: Health minister Satyendra Jain

Delhi's Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Saturday claimed that COVID-19 testing rate in the neighbouring states Uttar Pradesh and Haryana is ten times less than the national capital and this is why the cases there are less than the national capital.

"The testing rate in UP and Haryana is ten times less than Delhi. Accordingly, if the testing rate will be this less, the COVID-19 cases will also be ten times less than Delhi," he told the media during his a press briefing.

The minister also informed that the AAP government is working as per the predictions made by the experts. "Arrangements of beds and ventilators required by June 30, will be done by June 20 itself. The preparations required to be done by July 15 will be done by June 30," he informed.

Jain further added that stadiums, banquet halls, community halls, and schools will be converted COVID-19 care centres and beds will be arranged there.

On being asked about whether the Delhi government will cap the treatment charges in private hospitals, the minister replied, "all the hospitals have been asked to share the rates that they are charging for COVID treatments. We will decide on what to do after observing every hospital."

He further stressed that COVID-19 cases are increasing nation-wide so we should not just rely on which state or country has more cases and which state or country has fewer cases because the cases are bound to rise where they are less for now.

"At one point, people were saying that the US, Italy, UK, and other nations have more cases, but there are lesser cases in India. But the cases in India have also increased now. Similarly, we have states with more cases and states with lesser cases in India because the timeline when the cases will increase is different," he said.

"The city of Delhi is 10-12 days behind the city of Mumbai, and similarly, some cities may be behind Delhi in this context. Around 100 years ago in 1918, a virus known as Spanish Flu of spread across the world, and now coronavirus is spreading rapidly. No disease of this intensity has ever hit the humankind before," the minister told mediapersons.

On the visuals of the LNJP treatment facilities, Satyendra Jain said, "I would like to tell all the journalists questioning on this matter to visit and see for themselves the conditions of the treatment. These allegations meted out against LNJP have been done out of motivation and are completely baseless. A video was captured by a contractual staff and he has been suspended," he informed.

The minister informed that there are 36,824 COVID-19 confirmed cases in Delhi, out of which 2,137 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours. The active count in the national capital increased to 22,212. 

A total of 1,214 COVID-19 people have succumed to the disease so far.