The COVID-19 care hospital established by DRDO with assistance from armed forces is located in New Delhi and Gujarat, not in Mumbai.
A message circulated on social media stating that the armed forces have set up a 1000-bed COVID-19 treatment hospital near Mumbai airport. The 'false' message reads, "This is to notify you that from today onward 1000 beds facility is initiated by Armed Forces w.e.f 0800 hrs today for admission of all verified corona patients who need immediate hospitalization." PRO Defence Mumbai posted a screenshot of the message on Twitter, saying the message has "no basis" and is "fake news."
On April 19, the Hindustan Times reported that Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) reopened its Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel COVID-19 Hospital in the Delhi Cantonment area. During the first week of February 2021, as the COVID-19 cases were fewer, the facility was shut down. The facility was relocated near Delhi's domestic airport terminal. The 1,000-bed DRDO medical facility has 500 ICU beds to treat patients. The facility's medical team is drawn from the armed forces.
The hospital, which became operational in July 2020, was developed in a record time of 12 days by DRDO with support from the armed forces, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the Tata Trusts. On April 24, 2021, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh via Twitter said, ''DRDO is adding another 250 beds later in the evening today at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel COVID hospital in New Delhi, taking the total number of beds to 500.''
So, the COVID-19 care hospital established by DRDO is located near a domestic airport terminal in New Delhi and not in Mumbai. Moreover, it was not solely built by the armed forces. Hence the claim is False.
The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a lot of potentially dangerous misinformation. For reliable advice on COVID-19 including symptoms, prevention and available treatment, please refer to the World Health Organisation or your national healthcare authority.
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