Adequate number of beds and medical equipment available in hospitals for Covid patients`: Official

Allaying fears about inadequate health infrastructure to tackle the COVID-19 infection, District Collector-cum-Health Secretary T Arun said on Tuesday there was sufficient number of beds in both government and private run medical college hospitals for infected patients.

Allaying fears about inadequate health infrastructure to tackle the COVID-19 infection, District Collector-cum-Health Secretary T Arun said on Tuesday there was sufficient number of beds in both government and private run medical college hospitals for infected patients. He said at present the occupancy rate of beds in the hospitals was only 33 per cent and more than 65 per cent of beds were available.

"There is therefore no need for patients developing symptoms of the pandemic to have any apprehension about availability of beds," he said. He also contended that of the total 5,294 beds, only 2,000 beds were occupied.

The government had opened 21 covid care centres where samples could be tested and the people could approach these centres as there is no necessity to come to the government run hospitals. Arun said that 17 mobile teams were also pressed into service to test the samples.

The positivity rate has now come down because of larger number of testing, he claimed. Arun said "one area of concern for the government is the death rate.The fatality rate was 1.9 per cent and every day hearing of deaths of patients was most disheartening.

We should concentrate on the need to bring down considerably the death rate.Seventy per cent of the fatalities had occurred within 48 hours of admission of patients," he said. This was largely due to the patients' late arrival or coming to hospitals when the ailment was virtually at its peak.

Arun claimed even when surveillance teams visited homes, most of the time the inmates were not responding to the team`s queries. "Only when the ailment becomes serious the patients then approach the hospitals which is most discouraging," he said.

Facilities had been augmented at the Primary Health and Sub centres for the people to get immediate attention for coronavirus related symptoms, he said. Arun also said there should be no large gatherings at functions like marriages.

`The cap now was fifty on the number of guests for attending marriages.There was an instance of a marriage being held on Monday where around 700 people were present. The government intervened and sealed the marriage hall and cases were also booked against the marriage hall owner, he said.

He appealed to those above 60 years to remain indoors and said young children should not be taken out as these sections are more vulnerable to the disease..

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