HC raps Karnataka govt over Covid crisis, calls B’luru situation ‘alarming’

Bengaluru The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday rapped the state government over the surging cases of coronavirus and observed that marginal increase in availability of hospital beds might not be enough to cope with the rising number of Covid-19 infections in Bengaluru, calling the situation in the city “alarming”, according to two persons aware of the developments

Bengaluru

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The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday rapped the state government over the surging cases of coronavirus and observed that marginal increase in availability of hospital beds might not be enough to cope with the rising number of Covid-19 infections in Bengaluru, calling the situation in the city “alarming”, according to two persons aware of the developments.

The court was hearing a matter related to the Covid-19 situation in Karnataka and Bengaluru in particular.

“Going by facts on record we find that situation is fairly alarming,” the court observed.

“At 11.15 am today only 74 HDU beds (are) available in city, ICU and ICU+ ventilator 20 and 14. This is (an) alarming situation,” said an advocate, who appeared in the matter, attributing it to the observations made by chief justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Arvind Kumar.

The court also asked the government to check if Command Hospital meant for armed forces could reserve some beds for civilians as well as it could mitigate some of the shortage.

“State government will place on record the availability of beds in state and in those districts where there are more than 5,000 Covid-19 cases as of today,” the lawyer cited above said, requesting not to be named. “The other serious issue is availability of oxygen in the state, which needs 1,471 MT per day. We direct the Government of India to make allocation. If allocation is not made as on April 30, going by the projected figures of the state a shortfall of more than 600 MT will be there,” the advocate said, attributing it to the court.

The court’s observations have come at a time when Bengaluru and other 29 districts of Karnataka have been reeling under the unprecedented surge of Covid-19 cases.

The sharp spike in cases since March this year has led to an acute shortage of beds in Bengaluru, with relatives of Covid-19 patients running from hospital-to-hospital in search of beds and other medical care.

Bengaluru recorded 17,550 new infections on Tuesday, taking the active case count to 206,223. The city also accounted for 97 of the 180 fatalities reported across the state on Tuesday, according to the daily bulletin of the state health department.

Venkatesh Dalwai, the advocate appearing for Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA), said that its earlier request for oxygen supply has still not been complied with.

He said that PHANA had written to the state government on April 17, stating that they were not getting any oxygen supplies and the hospital shall not be held liable if any patient loses their life due to it.

Stating that the court issued three directions on Tuesday, Dalwai said the list of demands by PHANA should be shared with the war room of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). He added that the court directed the government to publish the details of availability of remdesivir, a drug used for critically ill Covid-19 patients, and even contacts of manufacturers as it will save relatives and others from running around to find the medicine during the lockdown.

“From tomorrow lockdown will start in state, so if relatives are told to get Remdesivir it will be difficult for them to get it. This is (an) area where (the) state should step in immediately,” the court observed.

The order came hours before Karnataka goes into a 14-day closed down, in what appears to be a last-ditch attempt to contain the growing surge of cases in Bengaluru and other parts of the state.

The court has asked the state government to respond on April 29, when the matter will be heard next.