Thane civic body running out of beds

More than half the capacity occupied; residents look outside Thane city; only 100 ICU beds available

THANE: More than 65 per cent Covid beds in Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) are occupied at present while the city has in excess of 10,000 active cases. Thane saw the highest spike on Saturday with 1,482 cases. The number has touched a new high while the corporation is now struggling to meet the demands for beds with many residents looking elsewhere. The city has only a little more than 100 ICU beds available at present including both private and TMC facilities.

Meanwhile, the TMC has sealed 95 buildings in the city that had more than five positive Covid-19 cases since Saturday morning. Among these, TMC sealed most number of buiildings, 36, in Diva, while not a single building was sealed in Mumbra and Wagale Estate wards. With Majiwada-Manpada wards witnessing the highest spike, the corporation has also sealed 316 floors of different buildings in this ward alone.

Although the TMC plans to increase the number of beds by reopening the Covid care facility at Kausa and roping in a few more private hospitals, currently there are hardly 30 per cent beds vacant. TMC is requesting residents to get in touch with the war room helpline number or online to check for bed availability in Thane city.

“We can increase the bed capacity at Thane Global Hub and Parking Plaza. Moreover, like the last time, we can take over vacant buildings and convert them into Covid Care facilities,” said a senior official from TMC’s health department.

Thane city has a total of 3,192 beds from among which 1,107 are vacant. “In order to ensure that there are enough bed capacity, those with moderate to severe Covid complications and those with comorbidities should be admitted in hospitals. Others should prefer home quarantine, especially youngsters who have the capacity to cope up,” said Dr Santosh Kadam, president, Indian Medical Association, Thane chapter.

Thane city has been recording more than 1,000 daily positive cases for the last three consecutive days, the highest ever. In October 2020, the highest number of daily positive cases was 727.

“I am diabetic and was not getting the proper treatment at Global Covid hospital. Despite proper facilities, it was evident that there is a lack of staff. Hardly once a day, they would come to check on us. There was only one nurse to tend to patients, hence I asked my family to follow the procedure to shift me to a private hospital but there are no beds available,” said Deepa Mehta, 59, a resident of Hiranandani Estate.

PRAFUL GANGURDE/HT PHOTO A 1,000-bed Covid hospital has been set up at a private company at Pokhran, Road No. 2 in Thane to meet the rising cases in the city.