A home ministry spokesperson said that AIIMS hospital in Delhi has set up a 24×7 COVID-19 helpline.

New Delhi:

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday ordered authorities to hand over the bodies of suspected COVID-19 cases in Delhi to relatives without waiting for laboratory confirmation of infection but the ashes should be treated with precaution and as per the government guidelines.

A home ministry spokesperson also said that three teams of four doctors each have been formed with doctors from AIIMS, and central and Delhi governments to inspect the healthcare facilities dedicated to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in the national capital.

“In compliance with orders of @HMOIndia @AmitShah, @MoHFW_INDIA directs that bodies of suspected #COVID19 cases be handed over to relatives immediately without waiting for lab. confirmation; bodies to be disposed of with precaution as per Health Min guidelines dated 15.03.2020,” the spokesperson tweeted.

The spokesperson added that the AIIMS hospital in Delhi has set up a 24×7 COVID-19 helpline for English and Hindi callers to take OPD appointments and talk to volunteers while doctors can talk to consultants.

The ”CoNTec AIIMS” helpline number is 9115444155.

The CoNTeC, an acronym for COVID-19 National Teleconsultation Centre, has been conceptualised by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and has been implemented by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

“As per @HMOIndia directions, @MoHFW_INDIA has set up 3 teams of 4 doctors each from AIIMS Delhi, DGHS, MOHFW &  #GNCTD, assisted by MCD officials; teams to inspect major dedicated #COVID19 facilities proposed in Delhi & make recommendations for improvement,” the spokesperson said in another tweet.

The announcements were made by the Home Ministry after two high-level meetings Home Minister Amit Shah held on management of the worrying COVID-19 situation in Delhi on Sunday.

The first meeting was attended by Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and top officials of the Union Home and Health Ministries, while the second was with with mayors and commissioners of Delhi’s three municipal corporations.

Mr Baijal, Mr Kejriwal and Mr Vardhan also attended Mr Shah’s meeting with mayors and municipal commissioners.

The number of COVID-19 cases has rapidly approached the 39,000-mark in Delhi.