India to use train coaches as isolation facility

NEW DELHI

The Indian government will use train coaches as isolation facilities for coronavirus patients amid a spike in cases in the capital over the past two weeks.

Indian Railways will make 800 beds available, the Home Ministry said Wednesday.

Also, 45 doctors and 160 paramedic staff from the Indian paramilitary have reached Delhi as the capital recorded 6,300 new cases on Tuesday pushing health workers to their limit.

Health authorities are also aiming to increase testing capacity to 60,000 PCR tests by the end of this month.

Ten teams from the Home Ministry will also visit more than 100 private hospitals in Delhi to assess more intensive care unit beds.

Intensive care facilities at major public hospitals in Delhi are working at near-full capacity, official data shows.

The government has also reduced the number of guests allowed to attend any wedding function in Delhi to 50 from 200.

The nationwide tally of cases has crossed 8.9 million with the death toll reaching 130,993.

However, the Health Ministry said that despite a spike in the capital, cases across India are falling.