HYDERABAD: State health officials informed Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao that government hospitals are fully equipped to treat any number of Covid patients. Rao reviewed the Covid situation with officials at a review at Pragathi Bhavan on Monday.

Officials found fault with some media organisations which they said were creating confusion among public on the availability of facilities. They told the CM that only 247 patients were currently being treated at Gandhi Hospital. Therefore, there was no overcrowding as was being perceived. Officials said that another 2,150 Covid patients can be treated at Gandhi Hospital.

PILs stealing time

Officials said that 9.61 lakh PPE kits and 14 lakh N95 masks were ready with them. Around 3,600 beds with oxygen facility were available in government hospitals. Due to a large number of PILs filed in courts, doctors were busy in attending hearings. This was eating into their time with patients.

Health officials also requested the government to appeal in the Supreme Court challenging the High Court order to conduct Covid tests on all the deceased, irrespective of the cause of death. It was impossible to implement the HC order, they felt since 900 to 1,000 deaths are reported every day. The health experts told the CM that the condition of doctors who tested positive was not serious. Doctors not just in Telangana, but about 10,000 across the country had been infected, they said.