COVID Crisis: Bhubaneswar Sees Big Jump In Home-Isolation To Hospital Patients

Bhubaneswar: The number of COVID-19 patients in home isolation requiring hospitalisation has gone up alarmingly in the city.

According to Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials, a meagre 1.5% of patients in home isolation had to be hospitalised during the peak of the first wave in September 2020. During the second wave, however, the number has jumped to 10%.

The BMC Nodal Officer for COVID Management, Suvendu Sahu, informed that the number of active cases in the city has crossed 6,000. Of these, 90% are in home isolation. However, an average of 100 such patients needs hospitalisation every day.

“Once they feel they are not safe at home, they call the toll-free number 1929. Based on the patient’s current state, the doctor advises shifting him or her to a dedicated COVID hospital in an ambulance,” Sahu was quoted as saying by The Times of India.

This rise is due to the severity of the latest mutant. Besides, people are more conscious this time and don’t want to take any chance. Therefore, they are seeking quick hospitalisation, doctors reasoned.

Given the growing number of home-isolation cases moving to hospitals, the municipal authorities have decided to raise the number of COVID-19 beds in dedicated government facilities.

At present, Bhubaneswar has 3,000 beds in government COVID hospitals, BMC Commissioner Prem Chandra Chaudhury told the media. But the number will be doubled in the next 10 days to accommodate rising number of patients seeking hospitalisation, he added.

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