Add beds at HIMS: Minister

Excise Minister K. Gopalaiah at a meeting with officers in Hassan on Friday to combat the COVID-19 crisis.

Minister for Excise K. Gopalaiah has instructed officers to add 100 more beds at Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences as the number of COVID-19 cases was on the rise. He has also stressed the need for increasing beds with oxygen facility at taluk centres and community hospitals.

The Minister held a meeting with officers in Hassan on Friday.

The HIMS has 400 beds and 100 more would be added. The community health centres located at Arehalli, Mosale Hosahalli, Udayapura, J.C.Pura, and Banavara would have beds with oxygen facility. “The private hospitals have to reserve 450 beds for COVID-19 patients referred by the government. As of now 120 people are under treatment in private hospitals”, he said.

The Minister said if the officers neglected their duties, the situation would worsen. “You have to answer when the Chief Minister reviews the situation. Work in coordination with other officers”, he added.

Deputy Commissioner R. Girish, Zilla Panchayat CEO B.A. Paramesh, DHO K.M. Sathish Kumar and others were present at the meeting.

Eight die

As many as eight people died of COVID-19 in Hassan on Friday, increasing the tally to 519. Of the dead, three each are from Arsikere and Hassan and one each from Holenarsipur and Sakaleshpur. With 244 fresh cases, the number of cases has increased to 34,050.

So far 30,368 people have recovered from the infection and 3,163 are under treatment. Among those under treatment 24 are in the intensive care unit. Of the fresh cases, 58 are from Hassan, 18 from Arkalgud, 34 in Arsikere, 13 in Holenarsipur, 64 in Channarayapatna, 18 in Sakleshpur, 10 from Alur, 28 in Belur and one more from another district.