CHENNAI: In the wake of rising COVID-19 cases in the city, the corporation has restarted its COVID care centre in Athipattu. The civic body is also in the process of setting up at least three more centres as a preparatory measure, according to senior corporation officials.
Apart from the 6000-bed facility in Athipattu near Ambattur, two more centres are being readied in Anna University, according to corporation officials. A third centre at the Victoria hostel is also
being prepared.
"We are geared up to face even the worst-case scenario of last year's peak," Corporation Commissioner G Prakash told The New Indian Express.
According to a corporation health official, the care centre in Athipattu has 19 floors with facilities such as water heaters, CCTV surveillance and reverse osmosis units.
"It has been in operation since Monday. As on Wednesday, there are 25 patients being accommodated in Athipattu," a corporation official said.
After the number of COVID-19 cases dropped during the end of last year, many of these facilities were closed and handed over to the concerned agencies in possession of the premises. In November last year, the 50-odd care centres operated by the city corporation were closed and returned except for the Tamil Nadu slum clearance board tenements in KP Park which had the capacity to accommodate around 1000 patients.
However, in January, the KP Park facility was also closed.
"The KP Park facility is not running for the last two months. There is a request for it to be reopened since it was considered one of the best facilities for those with mild and moderate symptoms. A decision has not been taken on it yet," said a corporation health official.
As on Wednesday, there were 3751 active COVID-19 cases in the city. A total of 5.67 lakh people have been vaccinated so far.