New Delhi, March 25: Delhi government-run hospitals will conduct a mock drill on Sunday to assess their preparedness to deal with any eventuality in view of rising COVID-19 and seasonal influenza cases. A senior official said an order to this effect was issued to medical superintendents, medical directors and chief district medical officers (CDMOs) by the Delhi health department on Friday.

"All the MS/MDs and CDMOs of all the hospitals of Delhi government are hereby requested to hold a mock drill on 26.03.2023 (Sunday) to check the preparedness of health, infrastructure, and logistics including availability of oxygen, so as to prepare for any eventuality, especially in view of increasing COVID-19 and influenza type cases," according to the order. COVID-19 in India: Centre Issues Advisory Amid Rise of Coronavirus Cases, Says ‘Keep Close Watch on Evolving Etiologies’.

The mock drill must be conducted by all the hospitals of the Delhi government and a report be submitted by March 26 evening or March 27 morning, furnishing details on a list of parameters mentioned in an earlier order dated March 23, it says.

Sources said the drill is expected to begin in the morning. Delhi has seen an increase in the number of Covid cases over the last few days amid a sharp rise in H3N2 influenza cases in the country. The national capital recorded 152 coronavirus cases with an increased positivity rate of 6.66 per cent on Friday.

Delhi had logged 117 Covid cases with a positivity rate of 4.95 per cent on Thursday. According to the March 23 order, in view of the daily upsurge in COVID-19 cases being witnessed in Delhi since the last few weeks, medical directors, medical superintendents, administrators of all government and private hospitals must ensure that all equipment such as ventilators, bi-pap, oxygen concentrators, PSA, etc. are in functional condition. COVID-19: India Reports 1590 New Coronavirus Infections in Past 24 Hours, Active Cases Stand at 8,601.

All severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) and five per cent of influenza like illness (ILI) patients should be tested for COVID-19 as well as seasonal influenza H1N1/H3N2, the March 23 order stated.

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