Follow Delhi model to fight COVID-19 : Union Minister G Kishan Reddy's advice to states

Union Minister of State from Home G Kishan Reddy on Saturday said that all states in the country should follow the "Delhi model" to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Reddy said that he was personally monitoring the COVID-19 situation in Delhi. It is to be noted that the capital city has recorded an impressive COVID-19 recovery rate of 84%.

He made the statement when he was visiting the Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (TIMS), a 14-story building at the sports complex at Gachibowli which was transformed into a hospital.

Reddy further said that the prime focus of the Telangana government should be on "testing, tracing, and treatment".

"I am requesting the state government (Telangana) to focus on testing, tracing and treatment. There is a need to increase the number of tests (in Telangana). The more number of the tests, the faster the containment of the disease," Reddy was quoted as saying by a news agency.

"The state government should take care of medical professionals involved in COVID-19 treatment. All hospitals should ensure that the required quantities of oxygen are available. The Centre has provided 1,200 ventilators to Telangana. N-95 masks and PPE kits and HCQ tablets are also being sent to the state," he added.

Reddy also requested asymptomatic COVID-19 patients to stay in home isolation, and not to go out before they test negative.

He also recommended the Telangana government to provide incentives to frontline workers like doctors, nurses, and other staff to show gratitude for their selfless service.

On Monday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that there is a significant improvement in the COVID-19 situation in the national capital with the recovery rate standing at above 80%.

"There is an improvement in the COVID situation in Delhi. The Delhi model is being discussed in India and abroad. Today the recovery rate in Delhi is 88%, only 9% of the people are ill now and 2-3% of the people have died. There is a decline in the number of deaths as well," the chief minister said at a press conference on Monday.

He also said that a sharp decline had been noticed in the COVID related deaths in Delhi and there was also a slump in the number of new positive cases being found.  

In Delhi, there are 10,705 active cases and 3,963 deaths.