Rourkela: The number of COVID-19 active cases in NIT-Rourkela has gone up to 76. Among those infected are 42 employees and their family members and 34 students.
According to institute sources, the local administration has taken over Satish Dhawan Hall, a hostel, to create an 800-capacity COVID care centre. Over 10,000 people reside on the campus and they have expressed concern over this decision as they fear a further surge in infection with patients being treated here.
On Wednesday, Sundargarh Collector Nikhil Pavan Kalyan had told the media that COVID care centres will be set up in BPUT, NIT and other ITI institutes.
He further said that there are 200 beds (25 ICU) at Hi-Tech Medical College and Hospital, 120 bed (20 ICU) at Shanti Hospital and 200 beds and 120 ICUs in JP Hospital for the treatment of the patients.
“Ten more ICUs will be added at Shanti. NTPC, Sundargh, has 400 beds and 200 oxygen cylinders,” he said.
The newly-constructed super speciality facility on the premises of RSP’s Ispat General Hospital (IGH) will also be converted into a dedicated COVID-19 hospital. “The paperwork has been completed and the hospital will have 100 general beds and 47 ICUs,” he said.
Sundargarh has reported 4,355 new cases in the last seven days with the highest of 722 on April 19. The district now has 5,055 active cases.