All 1,000 beds occupied by Covid patients in GGH

Vijayawada: As there has been a steep rise in Covid cases in Krishna and Guntur districts, several patients are getting admitted in the new Government General Hospital (GGH) in Vijayawada.

Initially till the first week of April, coronavirus patients from only Krishna district were admitted to the hospital. But with the increase of Covid cases in the district, the number of patients increased in the GGH gradually.

By April 1, about 80 patients infected with Covid and were admitted to the GGH. However, the scenario changed in the last four weeks and now all 1,000 beds have been filled with patients by Saturday. The pandemic is spreading very fast among the people and more than 500 cases are being reported daily on an average in Krishna district for the last two weeks.

Patients even from West Godavari and Guntur districts are coming to the GGH to take the treatment. With the alarming rise in coronavirus cases in the current second wave, people who contracted the infection prefer to getting admitted in the hospital rather than observing home quarantine.

With the shortage in beds, the hospital authorities are treating the patients even without beds. Patients are willing to sleep on the floors. The second wave of the pandemic is entirely different from the first wave. In the second wave, the infection rate is increasing very fast. In this backdrop, panic-stricken people infected with the virus are willing to stay in the hospital because they have hope of getting oxygen and ventilators facility in case of emergency and critical condition.

One patient from Guntur district was admitted to the GGH with severe infection and died within 10 hours. The hospital has arranged oxygen but could not save the life because the patient came in a very critical condition.

Before, the patient was admitted to the GGH, the family members tried to admit in private hospitals in Guntur and GGH in Guntur for the treatment. But, no hospital in Guntur was ready to get the patient admitted. Finally, the patient was admitted to the GGH in Vijayawada and he died while undergoing treatment.

After six to eight hours of wait, the body was handed over to the family members. On the other hand, the district administration, is asking the Covid patients to take suggestion from 104 call centre and follow the guidance given by the doctors. If the infection is low, the Covid infected persons can take medicine from Triage centre free of cost and stay under home quarantine.

The Krishna district administration is suggesting the Covid infected persons to join at Pinnamaneni Siddhartha Covid hospital in Gannavaram, Nimra Covid hospital in Ibrahimpatnam, District hospital in Machilipatnam and other hospitals. On the other hand, the officials are asking the Covid positive persons to get admitted in private hospitals and avail treatment under the Aarogyasri scheme.

The coronavirus cases are skyrocketing in Krishna and Guntur districts in the second wave. A total of 631 new postive cases have been reported in the last 24 hours in Krishna district and total active cases shot up to 6,259. Similarly, 1,581 fresh cases have been reported in Guntur district and active cases increased to 7,620.