BALLARI: With the district reporting 18 new cases of COVID-19 in the past ten days, the administration has decided to open up two additional wards for treatment and possible emergencies. A separate ward has also been created at the district hospital to treat patients with the Omicron variant.
"It's a precautionary measure being taken in the wake of new cases and the variant. During the first and second waves of the pandemic, Ballari and Vijayanagara districts have handled the situation well, and we want to keep the team on alert," said an official.
"At present, there is no sudden increase in new COVID-19 cases, but in the past ten days, more than 20 cases were reported. Hence, the administration decided to reserve wards at VIMS Hospital. The administration started taking steps soon after cases started rising recently. Checks on borders, testing and vaccination drives are being taken seriously," said a senior health official.
A dedicated ward to treat Omicron patients is equipped with high-end facilities. All three wards have oxygen supply and backup. The doctors are on alert though there have been no cases of Omicron in Ballari and Vijayanagara districts.