Corporation adds 304 oxygen beds at two centres in Chennai
As the number of COVID-19 patients scrambling for oxygen beds in the city is on the rise, the Greater Chennai Corporation added two COVID treatment centres with 304 oxygen beds on Thursday.
According to a Corporation statement, a COVID care centre with 200 oxygen beds was set up at the Government Children’s Hospital in Egmore and another with 104 oxygen beds was set up at Don Bosco Higher Secondary School, Perambur. These were inaugurated by HR&CE Minister PK Sekar Babu.
The statement added that the civic body purchased 745 oxygen concentrators and received 845 oxygen concentrators as aid from non-profit organisations. “In total, 1,590 oxygen concentrators have been given to city hospitals, including major government hospitals, and COVID care centres,” the press release said.
Of the 837 beds in Egmore hospital, 100 have been allocated for treating children with the infection. The total number went up by 200 on Thursday, of which 50 have been earmarked for children while remaining would be given to elders. Also, a decision has been taken to admit children above 12 years of age.
“At the Don Bosco School COVID care centre, the civic body will provide medicines, food, beds and oxygen concentrators, while the school management will appoint doctors,” Sekar Babu said.
Also, the civic body has taken up work to install 50 oxygen beds at DAV Girls Higher Secondary School in Teynampet.
Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics handed over 200 oxygen cylinders, each with 10.5 kg capacity, to the civic body. Also, Sikh Sangat of Chennai handed over 1,000 pulse oximeters to Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi on Wednesday.
The number of recoveries in the city crossed 4.02 lakh as of Thursday morning, which is 88 per cent recovery rate.