The Belagavi district administration will take steps to reduce crowding in the district designated COVID-19 hospital.
This follows the gradual rise in the number of those testing positive, and the bed capacity in the hospital nearly breaching the ceiling. There are 224 active cases in the hospital now, against the 250 beds available in two dedicated wards.
The plan includes allowing taluk hospitals to manage COVID-19 cases in their region, setting up and using COVID-19 Care Centres and referring non-symptomatic persons to home quarantine.
“We have realised that we can set aside 400 beds in the taluk hospitals for COVID-19 management. We will arrange a short-term hands-on training to taluk hospital staff,” said a senior officer.
“With at least 100 beds per taluk, we plan to create 500 beds in the care centres within a fortnight,” the officer said.
On Thursday, district hospital authorities faced a difficult time arranging for beds for all patients who tested positive on Thursday. A person who tested positive in Bailhongal had to wait for over an hour to get a bed in the designated hospital.
Deputy Commissioner M.G. Hiremath said that the State government had already issued orders for using all necessary steps, including using taluk hospitals, setting up care centres and home quarantine procedure for effective management. These orders will be followed when it becomes necessary, he added.
