New Delhi, Apr 7 (IANS): The Indian Army is preparing to take over the medical screening at Delhi's Narela camp set up for the coronavirus suspects, sources said on Tuesday.

This will be the first civilian setup that may come under the Army control.

Sources said several requests have been made for Army to take over the medical screening setup. An Army medical team is currently working along with civil medical professionals as part of the process of taking over the screening duties.

"In the interest of smooth running of the facility, it is being ensured that the takeover will be gradual," an Army source said.

Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat had on Sunday visited the COVID-19 camp in Narela.

Since Friday, Indian Army medical teams have been deployed at the quarantine centre in Delhi's Narela, where a number of suspected COVID-19 positive Tablighi Jamaat members are also kept. This, according to the sources, is the first time that the Indian Army is deployed to assist the civil administration in Delhi in the fight against coronavirus.

In Narela, the unoccupied flats of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) were converted into the quarantine rooms in March after the influx of Indians from foreign nations.

Two medical teams with support staff were deployed at Narela after the authorities made a request to the Ministry of Defence.