BENGALURU: It’s alarming. Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds at almost all Covid-designated hospitals in Bengaluru are full. Very soon, patients may have to fight for beds, if alternative arrangements are not made immediately by the State Government.
At Bengaluru’s main Covid-designated facility Victoria Hospital, all the 36 beds in the ICU are full and since Sunday evening, patients are being sent to Bowring Hosptial.Dr C R Jayanthi, Dean and Director, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, said, “Yes, there has been a sudden spike in the number of patients and most of them are SARI, ILI and people with high comorbidities, who require ICU care. Our beds are full.
We have been diverting them to Bowring Hospital.” Bowring Hospital has designated 15 beds for Covid patients and can take only nine more. However, they have the capacity to expand, said a hospital spokesperson. Dr Ramesh, Nodal Officer at Bowring, told TNIE, “The cases are increasing. We have enough doctors and are geared up for more patients.” Another Covid centre, Jayanagar General Hospital, confirmed that they have 20 beds exclusively for Covid patients and all are full.
Sources said the number of patients getting admitted late and needing ICU treatment is because of a drastic dip in testing. “When the symptoms increase and a patient’s condition worsens, he is rushed to the hospital with the need for ICU care. This will also increase mortality rate,” said a senior doctor from Victoria Hospital on condition of anonymity.
The number of samples tested on Tuesday across the state was 5,362, probably the lowest in the last one week. Meanwhile, healthcare workers said that more cases are coming in with ILI and majority are without any primary contacts which is worrying as the cases might explode if the source of infection is not traced.
According to the data from the State Health Department, till Sunday, there were 16 patients at ICUs across the state, but by Tuesday evening, the numbers shot up to 72. Data on Tuesday evening stated that 35 patients in Bengaluru were in ICU. But when TNIE checked with each of the three Covid hospital, the ICU patient count added up to 62.
Medical experts said the situation may get worse in districts too. In Kalaburgi, the number of ICU patients went up from eight on Sunday to 18 on Monday. However, the data on Tuesday said nine patients were in ICU. The State Government, however, is confident of handling the spike. Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar said, “There has been an increase in the last two weeks.
Bengaluru needs attention. But we are sure of providing infrastructure and medical facilities to all. There is a new app that shows the availability of ICUs, ventilators, isolation beds etc for easy accessibility,” he said. By referring asymptomatic patients to Covid Care Centres, the load on ICUs can be reduced, he said.
Kalaburagi ZP asked to arrange 7,000 beds
Kalaburagi: The state government has instructed the Kalaburagi Zilla Panchayat CEO to keep 7,000 beds ready, including 500 each in taluks, in case Covid-19 cases increase in the district. At the Zilla Panchayat general body meeting here on Tuesday, ZP CEO Raja P said, “These additional beds need not be in hospitals alone. They can be arranged in hotels or other places with necessary arrangements.” Replying to members’ questions, he said, “As of now, GIMS has 389 beds and ESIC Hospital 320 beds, GIMS has 56 ICU beds and ESIC Hospital 35. The district has 35 ventilators but we haven’t used any ventilator in the last three months,” he said. ENS