With the daily Covid-19 cases beginning to show an upward trend in the tricity, government hospitals in Chandigarh are gearing up to tackle the situation. Besides reserving isolation wards and intensive care units for Covid-19 patients, hospitals have decided to scale up testing by screening all people visiting the out-patient departments (OPDs) of the hospitals.
Looking at the Covid-19 surge, the Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH) Sector 16, has already converted a 40-bed ward into an isolation centre for Covid patients.
“At present, we have only reserved one ward for Covid-19 patients as the patient load has not yet increased. Besides, we have already reserved a few ventilator beds and oxygenated beds for the severe patients,” said Dr Suman Singh, director, health services (DHS), Chandigarh.
The DHS has also ordered all heads of departments of GMSH-16 and allied dispensaries to ensure that all OPD patients are screened for Covid-19 even if they are asymptomatic and fully vaccinated. “Residents of Chandigarh should be screened through RT-PCR while those from other states should undergo rapid antigen tests. Also, asymptomatic patients from other states should be tested for both RT-PCR and rapid tests,” the order read.
Meanwhile, the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, has also ramped up facilities for Covid-19 patients. “Though the hospital admissions have not yet increased, we have already started reserving beds for patients after studying the figures. At present, we have reserved 51 beds, including ICU beds with ventilators, for Covid-19 patients at the hospital. Also, 121 beds are available at GMCH’s South Campus at Sector 48,” said Dr Sudhir Garg, medical superintendent of the hospital.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, has also ramped up facilities for Covid-19 patients. “Though the hospital admissions have not yet increased, we have already started reserving beds for patients after studying the figures. At present, we have reserved 51 beds, including ICU beds with ventilators, for Covid-19 patients at the hospital. Also, 121 beds are available at GMCH’s South Campus at Sector 48,” said Dr Sudhir Garg, medical superintendent of the hospital.
{{/usCountry}}He further added that a 14-bed paediatric ICU has already been established at GMCH-32, keeping in view of the possibility of an increase in pediatric cases.
‘Patients with lung infection getting +ve, situation worrisome’
Meanwhile, Dr GD Puri, dean (academics) and head of the Covid management panel, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), said, “Over the last few weeks, the number of daily Covid cases have been fluctuating but in the last few days, an upward trend in cases has been seen. Earlier, patients with kidney, liver or heart problems were getting infected with Covid-19 but this time, patients with primary lung symptoms are getting admitted in the hospital. This is a worrisome situation.”
“Also, the numbers of people, who are vaccinated against the disease and are getting infected, are increasing too. We are hoping that the severity of infection remains low in those people but for the last few days, severe patients are coming to PGIMER. At present, 22 out of 23 beds are occupied but we can accommodate 35-to 40 patients. Many more mild patients can also be accommodated. We have enough standby beds and ventilators and facilities will be scaled up as per the situation as more Covid reserved beds mean cutting on non-Covid facilities,” Dr Puri added.
10 new infections in tricity, active cases rise to 133
On Sunday, 10 more people tested positive for Covid-19, taking the daily tally in double digits again. Five cases each were reported from Chandigarh and Mohali while no new infection surfaced in Panchkula.
Last Friday, the daily infection tally had risen to 26 in the tricity and on Saturday, only eight cases were reported.
Meanwhile, no Covid-related fatality was reported in the tricity on Sunday. So far in November, Mohali has reported three fatalities while no death has been reported in Chandigarh and Panchkula. Tricity’s active cases tally rose to 133 on Sunday, with 54 patients still being infected in Chandigarh, 49 in Mohali, and 30 in Panchkula.