Prepared to tackle situation if COVID-19 cases rise: Kejriwal

Even if coronavirus cases go up to 100 per day in Delhi, arrangements are in place to tackle the situation, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asserted on Friday and said the spread of COVID-19 is "quite under control" in the city.

Addressing a digital press conference, Kejriwal informed that a five-member panel of doctors, headed by S K Sarin, had submitted its report, prescribing the standard operating procedure for dealing with a situation involving 100, 500 and up to 1,000 new coronavirus patients per day.

Sarin is the head of the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences.

"We are removing shortcomings and making preparations to deal with a situation of up to 1,000 coronavirus cases per day," he said.

The national capital has so far reported 39 coronavirus cases out of which 29 contracted the infection during foreign travel and infected others on their return, Kejriwal said.

The chief minister said he hopes that the number of cases would come down in the coming days.

In another press conference on Friday evening, Kejriwal, who was flanked by Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, said the spread of the novel coronavirus is "quite under control" in the national capital so far.

The Aam Aadmi Party government, however, is readying itself so that even if the number of infected cases increases sharply, the administration is prepared to respond, he said.

The chief minister assured people that medical staff were ready to tackle the situation even if the cases go up at a rate of 100 per day, and there was adequate medicines and testing kits.

After the press conference, Baijal tweeted, "Efforts to maintain social distancing at dispensing points to be stepped up."

"My advice to all DMs to keep up the efforts to maintain lockdown, social distancing & effectively coordinate for provision of food for the homeless & destitute. None should go hungry," he said.

Talking about arrangements to serve food to needy people, Kejriwal said food was being provided to nearly two lakh poor people in the city and the number will be doubled to four lakh from Saturday.

Besides 224 night-shelters, 325 government schools will also distribute food, including lunch and dinner, among the poor and homeless people, the chief minister said.

He added that the Delhi government will also take care of the people from other states living in Delhi, citing appeals by the chief ministers of several states, including Jharkhand and West Bengal.

"I have also instructed the MLAs to ensure that no one in their constituency suffers from hunger. They should collaborate with the society and provide food to all," Kejriwal said.

He urged people to maintain social distancing at centres that are providing food to beneficiaries.

According to the Union health ministry, 75 new cases of coronavirus and four deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours in the country.