In case of peak, Mumbai’s health infrastructure can handle upto 17,000 symptomatic Covid-19 cases: Civic body

Of the 17,100 Covid-19 beds in BMC hospitals, 4,944 (28%) are occupied

Anticipating a peak in Covid-19 cases during the festive season for the next few weeks, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said it is ready to handle around 16,000-17,000 symptomatic cases in the city. Symptomatic patients are the ones who need hospital beds, oxygen beds, or intensive care unit (ICU) beds, based on the severity of infection.

The Covid Care Centres, which are manned by doctors and nurses 24X7, are also used to treat mild symptomatic patients. There are 181 such facilities in the city with 23,806 beds. (HT File)

Currently, Mumbai has 11,822 active cases, of which 26% are symptomatic, 66% are asymptomatic, and 8% are critical. Of the 17,100 Covid-19 beds in BMC hospitals, 4,944 (28%) are occupied.

Moreover, Covid Care Centres, which are manned by doctors and nurses 24X7, are also used to treat mild symptomatic patients. There are 181 such facilities in the city with 23,806 beds. Of these, 23 centres with a bed capacity of 3,200 are active. The others are dormant and can be activated if need arises.

Additional municipal commissioner Suresh Kakani, who is in-charge of BMC’s public health department, said, “We will be able to handle up to 17,000 active symptomatic cases at a time if a there is a peak in Mumbai’s cases. Over the past few months, we realised that there is a greater need for oxygen beds in comparison to ICUs and even ventilators. So, 50% of BMC’s hospital beds are oxygen beds.”

There are 1,978 ICU beds in BMC-run hospitals, of which 830 are available, while in the case of oxygen beds, 5,866 of the total 8,423 are vacant. Currently, the city has 1,184 ventilator beds, of which 393 are available. “Once a patient is admitted to the hospital, the treatment protocol is decided and gets activated,” said Kakani.