Delhi's Sardar Patel COVID centre starts admitting foreigners, people coming from abroad

New Delhi [India], January 12 (ANI): Sardar Patel COVID centre, the World's largest COVID-19 care facility run by the ITBP here in Chhatarpur, has started treating foreigners and people coming from abroad.

The decision has been taken as the centre is witnessing very low turnout of COVID-19 patients. Around 60 patients were admitted here with a staff of almost 600 including paramedics.

Earlier, the centre was only dedicated to patients coming from Delhi, including online admissions and patient sent by the Delhi government.

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) may soon also reduce the number of staff as various Paramilitary forces had sent staff to handle the COVID-19 situation in Delhi.

The centre has admitted several patients, coming from different countries like Dubai, Netherland, Japan, Malaysia and Canada. 

"There have been a consistently lesser number of patients in Sardar Patel COVID centre situated in Chhatarpur. In fact, there are close to 60 patients and around 600 staff taking care of these patients. Recently, it was decided that people coming from foreign countries will be sent to this centre," a senior ITBP official told ANI.

The official clarified that no patient from the United Kingdom, the country which reported new COVID-19 strain, has been admitted to the centre.

According to the official, the centre currently has 8 people from Saudi Arabia, 4 from Dubai, 3 from Canada, 1 each from USA, Japan, Malaysia, Netherland and Mayanmar.

"Earlier, COVID patients who were from Delhi were getting treatment. The Delhi government was sending patients and direct admissions were also done. But, since last few weeks number of patients reduced to 50-60," the ITBP official said.

Officials also informed that they are planning to reduce staff from the centre as the number of patients has reduced to around 60.

"We are planning to reduce staff also from the COVID centre as various staff was called in from different places when COVID was on peak in the national capital. Not only from the ITBP but doctors and staff from other Paramilitary forces were also called in to serve in the COVID centre. Now, the number of staff is more than patients," they added. 

India added 12,584 new cases to its COVID-19 tally in the last 24 hours taking the total cases to 1,04,79,179, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday.

With 18,385 more discharges, the cumulative recoveries reached 1,01,11,294. As many as 167 deaths were also reported in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 1,51,327. (ANI)