Bengaluru battered: 124 coronavirus-linked deaths recorded in one day
Karnataka's capital, Bengaluru, hit a new peak of daily deaths on Friday, as 124 more people died of COVID-19. This is the first time the daily death count crossed the 100-mark. Meanwhile, the state also breached its previously set grim record by adding 190 deaths to its total count. Karnataka witnessed the highest single-day spike as well, with 26,962 new cases being registered.
On Thursday, 68 people had succumbed to the disease
Of the fresh cases that came to the fore, 16,662 were recorded from Bengaluru Urban alone. So far, Bengaluru has registered 6,15,581 infections and 5,574 deaths. On Thursday, Bengaluru's daily death count stood at 68, implying that there has been a sharp increase in fatalities in merely 24 hours. Bengaluru has 1,49,624 active cases. Karnataka conducted 1,77,466 coronavirus tests on Friday.
April poised to emerge as deadliest month
The COVID-19 deaths in the city have almost doubled in five days, a TOI report claimed. In April alone, Bengaluru has registered 955 deaths. Notably, September 2020 had emerged as the deadliest month for Bengaluru, as 971 deaths were reported.
Hospitals are short on beds, patients are suffering
The spike in daily infections has overburdened hospitals and patients are finding it extremely difficult to secure a bed. Recently, the family of a 40-year-old coronavirus patient had to wait for nearly 30 minutes to get an ICU ventilator bed at state-run Victoria Hospital. The patient was later referred to another government-run hospital, situated nearly 25 kilometer away.
One family paid bribe to get bed at government-run facility
The attendant said he doesn't know if the patient will survive. "We were sent from Sagar Apollo Hospital (in the south), now we are shunted to Yelahanka," he told The Indian Express. Another person revealed that he had to pull some strings for a bed at the Victoria Hospital. One family allegedly paid Rs. 40,000 bribe to secure a bed at a state-run facility.
Situation has gone out of control, said CM Yediyurappa
The unprecedented surge in daily cases and deaths prompted Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa to comment that the situation has gone "out of control." Yediyurappa, who recently recovered after being infected with COVID-19 the second time, held a meeting on Friday. He ordered a 10-fold increase in ICU beds in Bengaluru. As of now, there are 117 ICU ventilator beds for COVID-19 patients in the capital.
Facilities having fewer beds to treat non-coronavirus patients
Health Minister K Sudhakar said that all nursing homes and hospitals, having less than 30 beds, were directed to treat non-coronavirus patients. "All hospitals that have a bed capacity of more than 30 will now have to dedicate 80% of the beds and ICU facility to the state government," he added. Till now, the state had taken over 50% of the beds.
Nearly 2,000 makeshift ICU beds will be ready soon: Sudhakar
"In 15 days, at least 2,000 makeshift ICU beds will be ready. As many as 800 of them will have ventilators. In Victoria Hospital campus, 250 ICU beds will be set up and in another new building 150-200 ICU beds will be arranged," he said.
