Narasimharaja constituency gets its first Covid Care Centre

Mysuru: The aim is to prevent Covid deaths by identifying the infected and treating them at the earliest, said deputy commissioner Abhiram G Sankar, after opening the first Covid Care Centre (CCC) in Narasimharaja assembly segment here on Thursday.
The CCC has been set up at Farooqia DEd College with 150 beds for asymptomatic patients and is exclusively for residents of the constituency. Those having separate rooms and toilets at home can prefer home isolation while those who don’t, will be sent here.
As most residents are unwilling to get themselves tested and are not cooperating with health workers, the authorities are making all out efforts to increase awareness.
Stating that deaths are rising, Abhiram said 40% of total deaths have taken place within a day after admission to hospital and five persons were brought dead.
“We decided to take assistance from local leaders and religious heads to woo residents for testing and held a series of meetings. We appealed institution heads to extend cooperation in the fight. As a result, the first CCC is being set up here,” he said.
“So far 750 tests have been carried out in Narasimharaja, and of them 180 tested positive. People should not panic about the increase in cases. It is good that we are identifying positive patients and treating them. This will help us prevent deaths. More tests will be carried out in near future,” he added.
Abhiram told TOI that CCCs have been set up to remove fear from residents that they would be stigmatised and would be sent to faraway places.
Former mayor Ayub Khan who played a key role in creation of the CCCs, said apart from Farooqia DEd College, the centres will come up at Andalus School and Central Hospital for Beedi Workers in the constituency. “Those with serious health issues will be taken to district hospital. We’re making all efforts to arrest the spread of the virus,” he said.
Nabeel Mohammed Khan, a youth leader, said the centre can accommodate about 150 patients at any given time and its capacity would be increased by 25 soon. Admission of patients would commence from Friday and Covid testing will be done probably starting next week, he added.