Delhi's Rajiv Gandhi hospital suspends non-COVID services, earmarked only for coronavirus patients again

Delhi government-run Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital (RGGSH) has been again converted into a dedicated COVID-19 facility amid a massive surge in coronavirus cases in the national capital, officials said on Friday.

All non-COVID services have been suspended till further orders, they said.

RGSSH is a 650-bed facility in east Delhi and had played a critical role in combatting the pandemic in the city last year, when the national capital had witnessed its three waves of the spread of the virus, the last one being in November.

''We have suspended all non-COVID services as the hospital is now a dedicated COVID facility. The decision was taken late on Wednesday seeing the massive surge in cases. As of now, 200 patients are admitted,'' Medical Director, RGSSH, Dr B L Sherwal said.

He said all the 200 patients are in serious condition and the same treatment protocol was being followed as was done last year.

''This surge is massive and people really need to be careful and follow all COVID safety measures. We had zero patients on March 5, and now 200. That too in the last few weeks. Most of the patients are elderly,'' Sherwal said.

The younger population is also getting affected but many of them are in home isolation.

Sherwal added that a nurse and a police personnel, who were on vaccination duty at the hospital, have been tested positive for coronavirus, and are under home isolation.

The 650-bed RGSSH was declared a coronavirus facility when the pandemic began last year and in early January was converted into a partially operating COVID-19 hospital. Recently, the Delhi government had issued an order to reserve 500 beds at this facility for COVID-19 patients.