Caseload grows, Karnal admn on toes

Tribune News Service
Karnal, April 23

With the increasing number of Covid cases, the demand for beds has also increased in the district. People not only from Karnal, but from across the state and Delhi are approaching the hospitals for beds.

Facilities to come up

• All private hospitals to reserve 50% non-ICU and 70% ICU beds for Covid patients
• A 250-bed Covid care centre for patients with mild symptoms being set up at the Community Centre of Phoosgarh
• A 60-bed Covid ward with oxygen and monitor support being set up at the KCGMC

At present, 30 ICU beds of 124 are vacant, while 132 non-ICU oxygen beds are available in the 12 dedicated Covid hospitals of the district, official data revealed on Friday evening.

Keeping in mind that the situation can be worrisome in coming days, the district authorities have decided to increase the number of beds for the Covid patients.

All private hospitals have been directed to reserve 50 per cent of the non-ICU beds and 70 per cent of the ICU beds for Covid patients. Besides, a 250-bed Covid care centre for patients with mild symptoms is being set up at the Community Centre of Phoosgarh, on the outskirts of the district. An additional 60-bed Covid ward with oxygen and monitor support is also being established at the KCGMC.

“We update the status of beds daily on edishakarnal.in and people can get the information regarding the availability in the dedicated Covid hospitals from this portal,” Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav said, adding that the link could be checked on karnal.gov.in.

Yadav said there was no shortage of oxygen in the district. At present, the hospitals have a requirement of 15,000 litres daily and the agency concerned was providing it. “We have appointed Zila Parishad CEO Gaurav Kumar as the nodal officer to monitor the availability of oxygen,” the DC added.

Meanwhile, the chemists have also been directed to ensure that no hoarding of Remdesivir, the anti-viral drug, was done. Besides, directions have also been given not to charge extra money for masks and sanitisers. Support from the IMA doctors has also been sought by the district administration.

Dr Kamal Bhushan Jain, president, Karnal IMA, assured the authorities of all kind of support.

Civil Surgeon Dr Yogesh Sharma said on Friday, the district witnessed the highest-ever 617 infections, taking the active case tally to 4,065. “Four persons died, while 402 patients recovered. The recovery rate of the district is 86 per cent. We are hopeful that with the increasing infrastructure we will be able to provide better healthcare facilities to the Covid patients,” Dr Sharma added.