PUDUCHERRY: All the oxygen and ventilators beds are full in Puducherry region as the union territory battles large number of new COVID-19 cases each day.
For the first time on Thursday, the Covid dash board is showing nil oxygen beds and ventilators available in all government and private institutions in Puducherry region .
On Thursday evening, 1,525 patients are in oxygen beds and 205 patients on ventilators. The situation is precarious as Puducherry UT is registering around 2000 cases and 30 to 33 deaths of which Puducherry region alone is registering an average of 1,500 cases and 25 to 30 deaths. The active cases have climbed to 18,277, of which 2,107 are in hospitals and 16,170 are in home isolation.
The government has initiated steps to enhance the oxygen beds and ventilators which will be available in the next few days. Besides, the government has taken 100 per cent beds in five private medical colleges for Covid patients and have asked the medical colleges to enhance the oxygen beds and ventilator facilities.
Meanwhile, Puducherry has got 90 D type oxygen cylinders, which will help in enhancing oxygen beds.
However. the concern expressed is that the Health infrastructure has been stretched to limits. The number of new cases is far more than the patients being discharged after cure, resulting in shrinking of vacant beds, particularly the oxygen beds.
In Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, the government COVID hospital, patients requiring oxygen are immediately admitted and given oxygen on chairs and floors, till beds become vacant for them.
It has been felt that the large number of infected persons on Home quarantine is causing further infections in the family as well as outside. Expressing this concern, former Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, AIADMK East Secretary and former MLA A Anbazhagan suggested that the government should create more facilities for quarantine in hostels and other suitable places, so as to bring down the number.
The lockdown imposed by the government to control the spread of Covid is neither being fully adhered to by the people nor enforced strictly by the enforcement agencies. While several young people are taking the lock down easy and can be seen loitering and crowding several places like MG road, several non-permitted shops are doing business.
Stating that present situation was due to known negligence in adopting preventive Covid protocols, the Senior Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Rahul Alwal sought the assistance of people to prevent lockdown violations.
All citizens by way of WhatsApp message (9489205039) reach Police Central Control Room with information, he said. The information should be supported by photos/small video clippings on 'lockdown violations' if any directly witnessed in addition to calling on the toll free 112 and 1031.
The Health department has also commenced vaccination for 18 to 44 age group people from today and speeded up vaccination of 45 plus people through special camps in schools in all areas.