KOCHI: Three of Kochi corporation’s five Covid treatment centres in the city have closed down, owing to a reduction in the number of patients. According to corporation officials, the first-line treatment centres in Palluruthy, Edakochi and Kaloor have shut down, while the oxygen-bed centre at Samudrika and the centre in Mattancherry town hall are still functional.
The Mattancherry centre now has some patients shifted from the wound-up centres at Palluruthy and Edakochi. Since the last week of September, Samudrika has only had under 50 patients, said the officer-in-charge Rafimon T M. The centre has 107 oxygen beds arranged for critically ill Covid patients.
Jaleel M, officer-in-charge of the Covid treatment centre in Mattancherry said that despite the laid back setup now, since the number of patients is low, the facility can expand into maximum capacity on a war-footing if the need arises.
“We get an average of 40 to 50 patients daily these days. On some days, it could go up to 70. Now, at Mattanchery, we have patients who have been shifted from other centres too,” Jaleel said.
Anugraha hall in Kaloor used to get over 100 patients on peak days, according to the corporation officials. The Palluruthy mini town hall also had nearly 50 patients daily when the pandemic was at its peak. When the number of patients at Edakochi came down to 10 daily, the centre was closed and patients were shifted to Palluruthy, and later Mattancherry. The officers in charge of the Covid centres said that there are chances for the numbers to increase once schools reopen.