Government hospitals in the city are continuing to shift asymptomatic and stable patients to quarantine facilities to accommodate the increasing number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients.
On Monday, the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) shifted 85 asymptomatic and stable patients to the facility at Chennai Trade Centre, Nandambakkam.
R. Jayanthi, dean of RGGGH, said the hospital at present had a total of 377 patients, of which 363 were COVID-19 positive. The remaining were individuals suspected to have symptoms of COVID-19.
At Government Stanley Medical College Hospital, 169 patients were shifted to a private college and to Tondiarpet peripheral hospital, officials said. “We took up another unit at the peripheral hospital. We gave the option to the patients to decide on the centres. Some of them living nearby chose Tondiarpet. With this, we have 147 patients at Stanley Hospital,” an official said.
He added that this move was to reserve the beds in hospitals for patients in need of treatment. “Patients with co-morbid conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and lung infection should be treated at the hospital,” he said.
P. Vasanthamani, dean of Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital said the Health Minister, Chief Secretary and Special Nodal Officer for Greater Chennai Corporation inspected the quarantine facility at NSTI, Guindy.
“We are getting ready to shift patients to the facility. Minor works are going on at the centre, and we have also requested the Corporation to arrange for security and sanitation workers,” she said.