Spike in Covid cases: Patna-AIIMS caps OPD patients to 50 per department a day

Patna’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has restricted outdoor patient department (OPD) consultation of new patients to 50 per department per day to reduce crowding on its premises in view of recent spike in coronavirus (Covid) cases

Patna’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has restricted outdoor patient department (OPD) consultation of new patients to 50 per department per day to reduce crowding on its premises in view of recent spike in coronavirus (Covid) cases.

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Bihar recorded 836 cases on April 2 that was more than double the cases reported a week back, taking the number of active cases to 2,942.

The state health department had also requested the AIIMS to increase the number of beds for Covid-19 patients, seeing the sudden spike in cases after Holi.

Owing to unavailability of beds, the AIIMS-Patna has been refusing to admit Covid-19 patients since last three days.

“We are not able to accommodate any Covid-19 patients for the last three days as all our beds are full. Ninety-five beds for Covid-19 patients in our institute were occupied till yesterday. We are increasing the number of beds to 110, following the state health department’s request,” said Dr Sanjeev Kumar, nodal officer for Covid-19 at AIIMS-Patna.

The AIIMS had reduced the bed count for Covid-19 patients to 40, with 20 beds each in ward and the intensive care unit (ICU), early this month. However, cases have spiked after Holi, prompting the state government to request the AIIMS to increase the same.

“We are adding 10 beds to the existing 20 in the ICU for Covid-19 patients. The remaining 80 beds will be in wards. We cannot increase any further beds at this point of time because we also need to cater to non-Covid patients, who are admitted at our hospital,” added Dr Kumar.

“We had gone down to only 17 Covid admissions at our institute early last month, but there has been a sudden surge in cases after Holi. People should support us by following Covid appropriate behaviour like wearing mask, social distancing and hand sanitising. We cannot afford to lower our guard,” said Dr Kumar.

Meanwhile, state health minister Mangal Pandey said, “The civil surgeons have been directed to do full testing in micro-containment zones where new cases have been detected.” He said the health department was making arrangements to treat those found positive during random testing at public places, including airport, railway station and bus stands.

However, passengers at airport, railway station and bus stand were still callous and not taking the government advice on following Covid appropriate behaviour seriously.

Pandey said Covid-19 cases had increased in 11 states, including Maharashtra, Punjab and Delhi. In Bihar, too, cases had gone up in the last 10 days and the curve was on the ascendancy.

Expressing concern over the spurt in Covid-19 cases in the state, Pandey appealed to the people to not only follow Covid appropriate behaviour but also take vaccination.