Despite a significant decline in cases, the ICU caseload has not changed much and it is still very difficult to get a bed in the ICU, said Sudarshan Ballal, chairman of Manipal Hospitals.
“As long as the caseload in the ICU does not come down, mortality will continue to remain high. Also, as patients who go to ICU are critical and stay in the hospital for much longer, till the ICU bed occupancy comes down we will continue to see a high mortality,” he said.
As on June 3, the State had 4,764 patients in the ICUs of various hospitals. Of the total 3,381 ICU beds without ventilators, 2,394 are occupied. Besides, 2,370 ICU beds with ventilator of the total 2,988 beds in this category are occupied, according to official data.