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880 fresh Covid cases drive Ludhiana to another grim milestone
People can dial 7837018500 and 0161-2421091 for oxygen cylinders; DC says no need to panic; seven deaths were reported in the city, taking the total fatalities to 1,272; corona case count of Ludhiana since the beginning of the pandemic stands at 46,358
With 880 new cases of Covid -19 reported in Ludhiana on Thursday, the district broke not only its previous daily records, but also sent the top brass of administration and health department in a tizzy. Patients and their relatives are already struggling to get isolation beds, crucial lifesaving medicines and even oxygen supply in many city hospitals.
On Wednesday, 879 infections were logged in the district, whose daily caseload has remained above 500 since April 16.
A total of seven deaths were reported in the city, taking the total fatalities to 1,272. The corona case count of Ludhiana since the beginning of the pandemic stands at 46,358. There are 5,829 active cases in the district.
The deceased included four men and three women, the youngest of whom was a 36-year-old male resident of Doraha. Two men from Urban Estate, Dugri, aged 71 and 76, succumbed to the virus. There has been a surge in coronavirus cases in Dugri, which is currently under lockdown.
Among the other victims were a 79-year-old woman of Kitchlu Nagar, a 72-year-old woman of Harnampura village, a 50-year-old man from SBS Nagar, and an 80-year-old woman from Shivala Road area.
As many as 80 beds are currently occupied in government hospitals, while 836 isolation beds in wards of private hospitals are filled. The number of patients in active home isolation is 7,337.
The increasing shortage of beds prompted the Ludhiana deputy commissioner to make an emotive appeal to hospitals to double the number of beds on their premises.
DC Varinder Kumar Sharma said that there was an immediate need to increase the bed capacity to deal with the second wave and ensuring quality treatment to the patients while reducing mortality. He said that the bed capacity must be enhanced immediately as it was important to ensure every patient got best possible care.
Interacting with the representatives of all prominent private hospitals of the district via videoconference, the DC urged them to listen to their conscience while making any decision as people had high hopes from all of them. In his appeal to the hospitals, Sharma said every single life was precious and the hospitals should ensure no person entering their premises dies due to lack of treatment.
O2 boost to city
The administration launched oxygen helpline numbers — 7837018500 and 0161-2421091 — which will remain operational 24x7 and function from the police control room.
Anyone who is facing any difficulty in availing medical oxygen supply in Ludhiana for Covid patients can dial these numbers and oxygen cylinders will be made available to them on payment basis.
Even as many private hospitals reported shortage of oxygen cylinders with the relatives of Covid patients seeking help from outside, the DC assured the residents that there was no shortage of oxygen in the district, so there was no need to panic.
He said that different teams have been formed that would visit industrial units as well as hospitals to check hoarding of oxygen cylinders. He warned that any violation in this regard will not be tolerated.
DC Sharma said that elective surgeries have already been deferred beyond April 30 till further orders.
“We will also provide green corridors to oxygen-carrying vehicles in Ludhiana so that they promptly reach to their destination,” police commissioner Rakesh Agrawal said.
