Karnataka to set up makeshift hospitals to meet COVID-19 demand
Amid explosion of COVID-19 cases in Karnataka, the state government has decided to set up makeshift hospitals with ICU and ventilators in Bengaluru and elsewhere in a fortnight and ordered the private facilities to reserve 80 percent of the beds for coronavirus patients. The makeshift hospitals with modular ICU with capacity of 250 beds will be established in Mysuru, Hubballi, Bidar, Belagavi, and Shivamogga.
2,000-bed makeshift ICU with ventilators to be set up
Addressing reporters in Bengaluru on Saturday, state Health Minister Dr. K Sudhakar said, "Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa took an important decision on Friday to set up 2,000-bed makeshift ICU with ventilators within the campus of the tertiary care hospitals in Bengaluru."
Government beds will be increased to 80 percent
"We have decided to set up all these hospitals in a fortnight. You all know that we may have to import various equipment including ventilators," the minister said. According to him, a decision has also been taken to increase the number of government beds for COVID-19 patients from the existing 50 percent to 80 percent.
Current COVID-19 trends have baffled the medical world: Sudhakar
"Most probably, the order will be issued by the end of the day," Sudhakar said. On the current COVID-19 wave, he said the trends have baffled the medical world and the rising cases in India show that a new variant has emerged in the country. "In fact, foreign countries are calling it the second wave of Indian strain and doing genomic sequencing," he said.
We have already utilized 500 tonnes of oxygen: Sudhakar
Last year the demand for oxygen was not so high, but now people are suddenly complaining about breathing problems and demanding the life-saving gas. "Last time when our cases were at the peak, we used only 300 to 350 tonnes of oxygen. This time we have already utilized 500 tonnes of oxygen," Sudhakar further said.
Karnataka recorded its highest single-day spike on Friday
"You can understand if this goes up, how the oxygen can become deficient," he added. He recalled Yediyurappa asking PM Narendra Modi to supply around 1,500 tonnes of oxygen for May. Meanwhile, on Friday, Karnataka recorded its highest single-day spike by logging 26,962 new cases in 24 hours. The active number of cases breached the two-lakh mark. Bengaluru Urban alone registered 16,662 new cases.
