TN worried of hospital beds running short

CHENNAI: The daily count of COVID-19 cases remained above 10,000 on Tuesday, officials said on Wednesday, as they raised worries over the possibility of hospital beds running short.

Health officials admited that 75 per cent of beds in government facilities in the state capital were occupied.

“If the cases continue to rise at this level, there would be an acute shortage of beds,” one of the officials said.

The city’s four government medical colleges and the COVID-19 hospital in Guindy together have 4,368 beds, out of which 3,269 have been occupied. That’s just about 25 per cent let.

The government on Wednesday moved to direct privatehospitalstoprovidebedsforcovid-19patients.

A circular issued by the Director of Medical and Rural Health Services has asked all empanelled private hospitals to set aside at least 50 per cent of total beds for the purpose.

These hospitals have also been asked to reduce the number of elective procedures and planned admissions.

In Chennai, Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner G Prakash told the media that measures are being taken to set up 10,000 additional beds in the city.

He said that the focus was to reduce the mortality rate. Prakash visited the 13th corona treatment centre which is established at Madras University boys hostel.

The facility has a capacity to accommodate 900 beds out of which 250 are kept ready now.

Separately, Health Minister Dr C Vijayabaskar dismissed allegations that shortage of oxygen led to some deaths at a hospital in Vellore district.

“There is no scarcity of medical oxygen or COVID-19 vaccines in the state,” he told the media.

There had been much furore over deaths at the Adukkamparai government hospital, Vellore.

Relatives of the patients who died alleged that the hospital had no oxygen supply.

“No, the deaths did not occur due to oxygen shortage,” the minister said.

Health officials said that the Tamil Nadu has the capacity of generating 1,000 metric tonnes of oxygen per day.

Officials also added that there is not lack of vaccines in Chennai. “As many as 200,000 vaccine doses have been given for Chennai alone.

Apart from this another three to 400,000 vaccines are expected to arrive in the city in a few more days.

It may be noted that 12,533 persons are under home quarantine and 12,185 persons are geting treated at government and private hospitals.

On Tuesday, Tamil Nadu reported 10,986 new cases of COVID-19, of which 3,711 were from Chennai. The death toll hit 48.