No Shortage Of Beds For COVID Patients In Bhubaneswar: BMC Commissioner

Bhubaneswar: While COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the state capital, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Saturday said there will be no shortage of hospital beds.

Speaking to mediapersons, BMC Commissioner Prem Chandra Chaudhary said active cases in the capital city have gone up to 7588 while the daily caseload in the last 2-3 days is around 1000. Keeping the rising number of cases in view, hospital facilities have been created for treatment of sufficient patients, he said.

“At present, 3,553 beds under different categories are available in Bhubaneswar of which 531 are ICU beds, 836 HDU (high dependency unit) beds and 2186 general beds. While the treatment of the patients in 95% of the ICU beds and 50% of the HDU beds is underway, the oxygen facilities are available in about 95% of the general beds. Besides, about 85% of patients are undergoing treatment in home isolation,” Chaudhary said.

He further said the rapid response team (RRT) members in each of 67 Wards are constantly in touch with the patients undergoing treatment in home isolation through video conferencing and providing them with home isolation kits containing medicines, masks and hand sanitisers. Apart from this, those with mild symptoms are being provided with Favipiravir tablets in consultation with the doctors.

Stating that about 90% of ICU beds and 50% of HDU and general beds are now occupied, he said the BMC is promptly responding to the complaints of the patients in home isolation and providing them necessary assistance at the earliest possible through the RRTs. “In case any patient complains about the fall in the oxygen level, we have provided them the phone number of the RRT team who will take the steps to shift them to the hospital,” he said.

The BMC Commissioner also requested the people not to call 1929 or 104 about their symptoms without conducting the test.

“Of late, we are receiving a number of panic calls from the people that they have not undergone the COVID test but there is a fall in the oxygen level. After a close study, we found that these people have not undergone the test even though having symptomatic conditions. Although we attend to their calls and do the needful, my sincere request to them is to go for the test immediately if they develop the symptoms. The BMC in its official website has mentioned the list of 11 private testing laboratories. Apart from this, the testing facilities are also available in 24 CHCs/PHCs in the city,” Chaudhary said.

Referring to the alarming rise in COVID-19 cases in the city, the BMC Commissioner requested the people to sincerely follow the COVID protocol. “We had to close down major markets and declared some establishments as micro-containment areas due to the gross violation of social distancing norms. Keeping the rising trend of the virus in the city, I request you to sincerely follow the COVID protocol otherwise the situation will go out of control,” he added.