COIMBATORE: In a mere week, the COVID-19 test positivity rate (TPR) in Coimbatore district rose from 5.6 per cent on January 8 to 16.7 per cent on January 14. Officials in the district health department fear fresh cases, as well as TPR, is likely continue to rise in the next few days.
According to media bulletin shared by the health department, on January 8, as many as 276 out of 2,929 oxygen beds, 180 of 1,666 non-oxygen-beds and 46 of 754 ICU beds were occupied. However, on January 15, 420 out of 3,222 oxygen beds, 369 of 2,312 non-oxygen beds and 69 of 803 ICU beds were occupied.
The silver lining is the case surge has not pushed up the death tally as the district has recorded five deaths in the last week. The death rate is relatively low compared to what Coimbatore witnessed during the peak of the second wave, said a health department official.The official explained, the fresh COVID-19 caseload may breach the 2,000-mark in the coming days.
Deputy Director of Health Services (DDHS) P Aruna said, the district has ramped up the number of oxygenated and ICU beds in government and private health facilities. “There are no instances of Covid-19 patients coming with low oxygen saturation level and chest involvement,” she added.
Similarly, the Dean of the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) A Nirmala said they record patients at the outpatient department and patients are coming in with upper respiratory infection.
Death toll remains low
The case surge has not pushed up the death tally as the district has recorded five deaths in the last week. The death rate is relatively low compared to the second wave