Bihar to add 5,000 more beds as Covid-19 tally rises to 31,691

PATNA: The state government on Thursday announced that it will increase the number of beds for treatment of Covid-19 patients by 5,000 even as the statewide tally surged by 1,625 fresh cases to reach 31,691, while the active cases crossed the 10,000 mark.
Four deaths were also reported, including three from Patna and a politician from Gaya, taking the official toll to 212.
With hundreds of new cases added every day, the state government has decided to link Guru Gobind Singh Hospital in Patna City with the Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) and develop it as another dedicated Covid hospital with 100 beds, secretary (health) Lokesh Kumar Singh. Besides, Gyan Bhawan at the Samrat Ashok International Convention Centre in Patna is also being developed as a 100-bed dedicated Covid hospital, he added.
“It has also been decided to add 400 beds at Madhepura Medical College and Hospital, which already has 100 beds. A 100- bed facility is also being developed at ESI hospital, Bihta,” Singh further said, adding that 1,100 beds will be added with such steps.
Information and public relations secretary Anupam Kumar told media persons on Thursday that that there are 8,000 beds currently available for Covid treatment and 5,000 more will be added to the existing capacity.
“At the directions of chief minister Nitish Kumar, the health department is taking steps to increase the number of beds. A decision was also taken on fixing the cost of treatment of Covid-19 patients in private hospitals to ensure patients are not overcharged,” Anupam said at the daily Covid-19 briefing.
He added that the health department has also decided to increase its testing capacity so that results for Covid-19 should come out within 24 hours.
The IPRD secretary also claimed that 1 lakh antigen testing kits are being sent to the districts to ensure that people are tested on- demand at sub- divisional hospitals as well as primary health centres.
Giving details of testing, the health department secretary said altogether 4,19,208 samples have been tested for Covid-19 so far, including 10,015 samples in the past 24 hours.
Among the dead on Thursday was former chief of Gaya Zila Parishad Bindeshwari Prasad Yadav, alias Bindi Yadav. Three Patna residents also died due to Covid-19 on Thursday.
According to the health department, two deaths each were reported from Muzaffarpur and Rohtas. Four deaths were reported at AIIMS-Patna on Thursday evening, including that of RJD leader Raj Kishore Yadav. AIIMS-Patna nodal officer for Covid-19, Dr Sanjeev Kumar said Raj Kishore, resident of Saguna Mor, had died late on Wednesday evening. Apart from Raj Kishore, a 59-year-old male from Patrakar Nagar died at AIIMS on Thursday. Two other deceased were from Muzaffarpur and Rohtas each.
Three deaths were reported from NMCH, including a 47-year-old Ashok Nagar resident, an 85-year-old AG Colony resident and a 55-year-old woman from Rohtas.