'Hoping For The Best, Ready For The Worst': Indian Doctors Fear The COVID Crisis Has Only Begun

Doctors in one of India's top private hospitals shuffle through the intensive care unit wearing full protective suits. Every bed is occupied by coronavirus patients, and fear is building that the worst is still to come.

Indian authorities have, in recent days, been relaxing the months-long lockdown, but that does not mean the crisis is over. In fact, the peak is yet to come.

"All of us are?hoping?for?the?best, but we are mentally and physically prepared?for?the worst." Dr Deven Juneja told AFP, during a pause from his rounds at the Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital in New Delhi, as heart monitors beeped throughout the ward.

"All of us are trying to keep our morale up in these difficult times," Dr Deven Juneja said. He also added,?"We have to keep ourselves motivated and keep going every day."

Ambulances arrive constantly at the Max hospital, which like other private facilities in the teeming city of 20 million people, has been ordered by the government to set aside 20 percent of its beds?for?coronavirus patients.

In New Delhi, the situation is particularly dire with the city government predicting that the caseload will balloon 20 fold, to more than half a million by the end of July, which the health care system appears woefully ill-prepared?for.

"That has definitely increased the load on us. We want to get our patients well as soon as possible and try to create more beds?for?our patients," Dr Deven Juneja said.