Visakhapatnam: 250 additional beds for Covid-19 patients

Visakhapatnam: As the Covid-19 graph in Visakhapatnam continues to rise, the district administration has intensified efforts to increase the bed capacity in government hospitals.

With the hospitals designated for Covid treatment already brimming with patients, increase in the daily caseload of the virus has now become a matter of concern.

For the past one week, Visakhapatnam has been recording not less than 2,000 positive cases a day. Given the current graph, steps are afoot to provide additional beds and medical services to Covid-19 patients.

In this connection, District Collector V Vinay Chand directed the officials concerned to install German hangars at three hospital premises to accommodate Covid-19 patients.

Along with the King George Hospital (KGH), such hangars will be installed at Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) and Government Hospital for Chest and Communicable Diseases (GHCCD).

Sharing details of the endeavour, Superintending Engineer, Roads and Buildings B Sudhakar, says, "Tenders for German hangars have already been invited. Bids would be opened on 20th of this month and based on that work orders will be issued." Once the tenders get finalised, 100 beds will be set up at KGH, 100 beds at VIMS and 50 beds at GHCCD.

The Collector clarified that the infrastructure should be readied in 48 hours once the works get initiated. On May 12, 2,371 positive cases were registered, while 2,064 were recorded the next day. On Sunday, 2,041 were reported and 2,098 Covid-19 cases recorded on Monday. In the last 24 hours, Visakhapatnam recorded 2,368 coronavirus cases.

At a time when the pandemic is raging, the additional bed capacity aims at meeting the growing demand for treating Covid-19 patients.