As coronavirus cases in the national capital continues to rise with limited number of beds for patients, high-level committee constituted by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has recommended reducing the cost of COVID-19 treatment in private hospitals in Delhi.

The recommendations come after Union Home Ministry held a series of meetings over the last few days to check the spread of the highly infectious illness, which has affected nearly 50,000 people in the city.

The committee, led by Niti Aayog member Dr VK Paul, recommended the rate for an isolation bed to be fixed in the range of Rs 8,000-10,000 per day from the existing Rs 24,000-25,000 per day and the price for an ICU bed without ventilator, Rs 13,000-15,000 per day has been recommended from Rs 34,000-43,000 per day.

An ICU bed with ventilator, which costs Rs 44,000-54,000 a bed a day now, has been recommended to be charged at Rs 15,000-18,000 per day.

Committee has recommended Rs 8000-10000, 13000-15000 & 15000-18000 including PPE costs for isolation bed, ICUs without & with ventilator respectively to all hospitals as compared to the current charges of Rs 24000-25000, 34000-43000 & 44000-54000 (excluding PPE cost)@HMOIndia

— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) June 19, 2020

As the positivity rate continues to rise in the capital, the MHA has also decided to double the testing. According to MHA, total testing samples of 27,263 have been collected in Delhi from 15 to 17 June 2020 against the daily collection which varied between 4,000-4,500 earlier.

Sample testing has been doubled immediately in pursuance of decisions taken by HM @AmitShah in series of meetings. A total of testing samples of 27,263 have been collected in #Delhi from 15 to 17 June 2020 against the daily collection which varied between 4,000-4,500 earlier.

— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) June 19, 2020

The MHA also said, quick delivery of results in Delhi, testing via Rapid Antigen testing methodology was started on Thursday. 7040 people have been tested in 193 testing Centres. Testing will continue with increased numbers in coming days.

The national capital has reported 49,979 cases of coronavirus till Friday. The death toll in the state is at 1,969 according to ministry of health data.

The condition of Delhi’s Health Minister Satyendar Jain, who has been tested positive for the virus, is reportedly deteriorating after he was diagnosed with pneumonia on Friday.