Number of beds at COEP jumbo facility cut by 300

Pune: As the number of Covid patients has gone down, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has reduced the number of operational beds at the jumbo Covid facility on the grounds of College of Engineering Pune (COEP) to 400 from 700

Pune: As the number of Covid patients has gone down, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has reduced the number of operational beds at the jumbo Covid facility on the grounds of College of Engineering Pune (COEP) to 400 from 700.

The Jumbo Covid care centre at COEP ground in Pune. (HT)

According to the civic officials, there are about 270 patients admitted to the facility. Since last week, the positivity rate in PMC limits has been recorded below 10% and the number of active patients has come below 6,000. The availability of hospital beds for Covid patients has improved.

“We have reduced the number of operational beds in the COEP jumbo facility by 300. The number of admissions has gone down. The number of patients in the facility has reduced below 300. During the last wave as well we had gradually reduced the number of operational beds as patients had gone down. It would be financially viable for the municipal corporation,” said Rajendra Muthe, PMC deputy commissioner.

Post surge in Covid cases, the COEP jumbo facility was made operational again from March 22 with 55 beds for Covid patients, and with the number of patients increasing the facility functioned with 700 operational beds. With drop in daily caseload, the number of operational beds has been decreased.

As the number of active patients has come down, the availability of hospital beds in the city has improved. As of Wednesday evening, of the total 13,080 allotted Covid beds, 8,566 beds were vacant in PMC limits.

After the first wave, as the cases had gone down the COEP jumbo facility was made non-operational in January 2021, but the structure was not removed from the ground. As the cases had begun to surge, the facility was reactivated after completing the electrical and structural audit. PMC officials said that for now only the number of active operational beds has been reduced. No further decision has been taken in terms of the overall operations of the facility.

“The facility was made non-operational in January. At that time many had suggested that even the structure should be removed, but we kept it on standby and it came handy in March. So, we will wait and watch before taking any further decision,” said Muthe.