Hyderabad: Fever Hospital stares at isolation ward blues

♦ The present facility is being used for the treatment of coronavirus cases.

♦ Swine flu cases likely to be sent to Gandhi Hospital due to lack of another isolation ward.

♦ Gandhi Hospital has two different isolation wards for the treatment of swine flu and nCoV cases.

Hyderabad: With the existing isolation ward caters to the coronavirus cases, the Fever Hospital faces shortage of isolation ward for swine flu cases.

The existing isolation ward in the hospital has been transformed into coronavirus isolation ward with 40-beds and China returnees have been flocking here for counselling and undergoing tests for the last two weeks.

However, the big problem before health authorities is how to go about the treatment of swine flu cases in the Fever Hospital. Swine flu cases are regular during the winter season in Twin Cities for the last few years. Some H1N1 cases were registered during the last three months although the numbers are not on the higher side compared to last year.

It may be noted that the swine flu cases have to be treated in an isolation ward also but the hospital's only isolation ward is now catering to coronavirus suspected cases. And coronavirus cases and swine flu cases cannot be put in the same isolation ward for treatment.

The solution before authorities is to make an alternative isolation ward in Fever for the purpose of treating swine flu cases. If that is not feasible, then it has to cater to the treatment of either of the deadly diseases.

It is learnt that the Fever Hospital administration has requested the Health department to confine only swine flu cases at their hospital and shift the coronavirus cases to Gandhi Hospital that has separate isolation wards for swine flu and coronavirus cases.

The Fever Hospital is among the three State hospitals besides Gandhi and Chest hospitals chosen by the government for treatment of coronavirus cases. With high alert sounded on coronavirus at present, no change can be expected on status of the Fever Hospital as one of the three centres.

According to sources, the swine flu cases received at Fever Hospital in the coming days most likely will be referred to Gandhi Hospital for admission and treatment.

Relief for Health authorities at present is that there is no big spike in H1N1 cases for the last month and hence they are focusing all energies on the coronavirus cases.

But if swine flu cases increase, they might have to make alternative arrangements at Fever Hospital or send the patients to Gandhi Hospital.