Madurai
The day-to-day rise in fresh coronavirus infection in the district has resulted in beds filling up fast in major private hospitals, and a significant number of patients required oxygen support.
Data obtained from the Public Health department shows that at Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) – the hospital with the highest number of beds for COVID-19 patients in the district – nearly 56% of the 1,561 beds are filled.
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In the six COVID-19 Health Centres in the district, nearly 36.20% of the beds are filled. These centres include Tirumangalam, Melur, Vadipatti, Peraiyur and Tirupparankundram Government Hospitals and the Railway Hospital.
The data shows that a large proportion of the beds has filled up at major private hospitals as of 8 a.m. on Friday. There are 44 private hospitals treating COVID-19 patients. These hospitals have 1,388 beds for COVID-19 patients.
At Apollo Hospital, all the 77 beds earmarked for COVID-19 patients have been occupied. At Meenakshi Mission Hospital, nearly 88% of 154 beds for COVID-19 patients have been occupied. At Vadamalayan Hospital, nearly 90% of the 65 beds for COVID-19 patients have been filled up. Velammal Medical College Hospital, the private hospital with the highest number of beds for COVID-19 patients (200), reports 55% occupancy.
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The data also shows the same trend at smaller private hospitals.
Satish Devadoss, Medical Director of Devadoss Hospital, said the requirement of beds for COVID-19 patients had risen this year. They could see that in more number of positive patients, there was lung involvement.
“As a result, the need for oxygen support has increased significantly,” Dr. Satish Devadoss said, adding this time, more number of younger patients were admitted to the hospital and they too required oxygen support.
J. Adel, General Manager, Operations, Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Research Centre, said more number of patients from the neighbouring districts also got admitted to hospitals in Madurai. The requirement of oxygen support had increased drastically.
“Patients with lung involvement required around 50 to 60 litres of oxygen support for each hour,” he added.
Concurring with this viewpoint, V. Karthik, management representative of Vadamalayan Hospital, said since the beds were occupied, the hospital created a waiting list so that those patients could occupy the beds following discharges.
A source from the Health department said in a recent meeting presided over by the Collector, it was decided to admit asymptomatic patients from rural areas only to COVID-19 Care Centres.
“The department is approving new private hospitals that can treat COVID-19 patients as beds are quickly filling up in the existing hospitals. But, nearly 50% of beds are available at the GRH, which has the best facilities,” he added.