The demand for oxygen beds has come down significantly in Tiruchi due to sharp decline in fresh cases of COVID-19.
Out of 1,099 beds in the COVID-19 ward in Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH), 643 beds have oxygen support. There are 100 beds in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with ventilator support. COVID-19 cases peaked in the second and third weeks of May and the district recorded an average of 1,000 to 1,500 cases for a month. Active cases too went up to 11,800 in May but has now come down to 1,200.
As per the recent trend, the district registers an average of 200 to 250 fresh cases daily. Nearly 75% of the patients report to the MGMGH in Tiruchi and the remaining patients, who test positive for COVID-19 cases, visit private hospitals for treatment.
There were days when ambulances carrying COVID-19 patients with low saturation levels of oxygen, lined up at the MGMGH for admissions. The situation has changed now and patients are given admission within 20 minutes to 40 minutes of arrival. There is not much problem in allocating oxygen beds too.
“As per the review during the last three weeks, there has been significant decline in COVID-19 patients seeking oxygen beds since June 10. Most of them require beds only in general COVID-19 wards,” says Collector S. Sivarasu.
The district has about 4,000 beds for treating COVID-19 patients including beds at COVID Care Centres. Close to three fourth of beds were now lying vacant and it has released the pressure on health officials and workers, the Collector said.
K.Vanitha, Dean, MGMGH, said that oxygen usage had come down by 50% when compared to the peak period in May. “We are noticing a decline in demand for oxygen beds. It has given space for regrouping our energy. However, there are instances of patients with critical conditions reaching the hospital at advance stages,” she said.
Mr. Sivarasu said that village-level committees set up to monitor fever cases and fever camps had helped to bring down the cases dramatically. The level on compliance of social distancing protocol also seemed to have improved in the district. He added that even workers of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme were seen wearing masks.
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