CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation is taking steps to equip the city with 1500 more oxygen beds in 15 days. This is to cater to the rising demand being experienced currently.
Corporation Commissioner G Prakash said the Chennai Trade Centre in Nandanam will be equipped with 1,000 beds of which 860 will be oxygen beds and 140 will be normal beds. At least 300 oxygen beds here will be ready within the next three days.
Apart from this, two community health centres in Puzhal and Injambakkam will be equipped with 60 oxygen beds each.
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"There are 40 oxygen beds currently in the said hospitals. We will be ramping them up to 100-bedded facilities by May 15. Also, the Communicable Diseases Hospital in Tondiarpet will be equipped with 300 oxygen beds," he said.
Currently, the city has 33,500 active cases of which nearly 15 per cent are critical cases, where the patient requires oxygen support. These extra beds will help the cause as the peak for Chennai is expected in a fortnight.
The commissioner assured the public that there is enough infrastructure to handle the pandemic and that no one needs to worry. "You can call 108 or even the GCC vehicle. We are well staffed and home quarantine facilities are also being improved."
He also said that vaccinations for those above 18 years of age will be delayed due to shortage.
"We do not have additional stock of vaccines, so we will not be able to start vaccination for 18+ tomorrow. However, we will be continuing vaccination for those above 45. We have vaccinated 16.2 lakh people so far," he said.
Deaths are being caused due to late referral, he said, adding that people must inform fever survey workers if they have a fever and get tested early.