THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the state’s daily Covid-19 tally crossing the 2,000-mark for the first time on Wednesday since the outbreak and the number of active cases inching closer to 20,000, the government is tweaking its strategy by giving the same prominence to treatment as it did to prevention.
For this, the state will convert a number of Covid First -Line Treatment Centres (CFLTC) into Second Line Centres (SLC) having more facilities, including sufficient ICU beds and ICU-trained nurses. Medical examinations will be ramped up too.
“Category A patients (asymptomatic) will be treated in the CFLTCs while Category B patients (those with mild symptoms but not seriously ill or with no comorbidities) will be treated in the SLCs. Category C patients (vulnerable and those requiring critical care) will be treated at Covid hospitals,” said a senior health official.
With 2,333 new cases on the day, confirmed cases touched 50,231. The active cases rose to 17,382. Nearly 10,000 cases are expected daily in September.Health Minister K K Shailaja told TNIE: “SLCs are being set up to ease the pressure on hospitals. Equal importance is being given to treatment aspect too. The focus should be on saving maximum lives. Even at this stage, the state’s mortality rate is only 0.36%.”
‘Focus is on bringing down fatality rate’
With Onam season around the corner, the government expects a drastic increase in cases as there will be huge rush. If there is a sudden and simultaneous spike across the state, the health system will not be able to cope with it. “The virus will spread. We can only reduce the speed of transmission. Treatment will be given equal focus as prevention to reduce mortality.
The approach is going to be more hospital-specific,” said an official. The state is currently implementing Plan B. At present, the occupancy rate in Covid hospitals is not more than 48 per cent. “Besides, there are more than 70 private hospitals with 3,000 beds dedicated to Covid patients and 100-odd CFLTCs. SLCs will soon come up and the existing CFLTCs will be upgraded as per requirement,” he added. Those CFLTCs managing patients with mild symptoms will be converted into SLCs.
Around 18 CFLTCs with 1,900 beds have been identified for the purpose. Officials believe this will help provide prioritised treatment. “The attempt is to bring down the pressure on hospitals and ensure undivided attention to vulnerable cases,” said sources. Health Secretary Rajan Khobragade said, “We are trying to bring down fatality rate. This will depend on convincing the elderly and those with comorbidities”.