Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra likely to peak by June-end, says health minister
Expecting a peak in the number of coronavirus cases by the end of June, the state plans to issue directives to all private hospitals and nursing homes in Mumbai
Expecting a peak in the number of coronavirus cases by the end of June, the state plans to issue directives to all private hospitals and nursing homes in Mumbai to reserve 60% beds for Covid-19 patients.
State health minister Rajesh Tope on Friday said that chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has been requested to take this decision to tide over the shortage of beds for moderate and serious coronavirus patients in the city. The remaining 40% beds will be kept for other patients. This is as per a recommendation made by a taskforce led by Dr Sanjay Oak, which was formed by the state government to bring down the mortality rate. Thackeray is yet to take a call on the request.
Since May 6, Maharashtra has been recording more than 1,000 cases daily. On Thursday, it saw 1,602 cases, the highest one-day spike so far. Mumbai recorded 991 cases on Thursday, which was the sharpest single-day spike recorded so far. Since May 1, the state has reported as many as 18,602 cases, whereas the total number of cases registered in April month was 10,201. On Friday, the state’s tally reached 29,100 cases, while in Mumbai, the total number of cases stands at 17,671.
Tope said they expect the cases to peak by June end. “All predictions about rise in cases in Mumbai and Maharashtra have not come true, but the numbers are rising and peak is yet to come. Going by mathematical predictions, the actual peak is likely to come by the end of June. It means, the number of cases in Mumbai will increase four times (over 60,000 cases). We are trying to prevent it, but we need to be prepared for the worst and hope for the best,” Tope said.
Unlike other red zones in the state, Mumbai is facing shortage of beds for dedicated Covid Health Centers and Dedicated Covid Hospitals (DCH). DCHC provide services to Covid-19 patients with mild and moderate symptoms, while serious patients are admitted to DCH. “We need more beds for mild or moderate and serious patients in Mumbai. Availability of ICU beds is again a challenge. I have requested chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to issue directives to all private hospitals in Mumbai to reserve 60-80% beds for Covid-19 patients. With this, we will be able to utilize all beds at private hospitals, which are not in use due to the pandemic,” Tope said.
The health minister said that the hospitals will run with their existing staff.
The only change is that the beds will be reserved for Covid-19 patients. The rest of the beds in the hospitals will be kept for others cases such as pregnancy, stroke, ischemic heart disease, cancer, and accidents.
Many private hospitals in the city are vacant at present, with not even 25% occupancy.
“The treatment will be affordable as it will be based on the General Insurers Public Sector Association (GIPSA) policy or the package determined under Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Aarogya Yojana (MJPJAY) under which the state government provides free treatment and surgeries for 1,100 ailments,” Tope said.
Tope said the hospitals won’t be able to ignore the government directives. “When will they serve the city if not now? We have given them land and they are running under charitable trusts. We have many legislations such as Epidemic Diseases Act, Maharashtra Essential Services and Maintenance Act and Maharashtra Public Trust Act etc. under which action can be taken against them, if they do not follow orders,” he said.
A senior representative from a well-known hospital said they have to follow government orders.
“If the government passes such an order, we will have no option but to accept it considering the current circumstances,” he said, requesting not to be named.
