All private hospitals in the State which are using hotels as COVID care centres for isolation of coronavirus patients have been instructed to ensure that all fire safety norms are followed.
Vijayawada trigger
The instructions were issued by Director of Public Health G. Srinivasa Rao on Sunday when people woke up to the horrifying news of a fire accident at the Vijayawada-based Hotel Swarna Palace, which has been converted into a COVID quarantine centre. The fire claimed at least 10 lives.
Apart from the 91 private hospitals across Telangana which are allowed to admit COVID-19 patients, a few other hospitals are utilising hotels as COVID care centres. There are around 36 hotels, including premium ones, that are attached to various hospitals in the State acting as COVID care centres.
While moderate to critically-ill COVID patients are admitted at hospitals, those with mild symptoms who don’t want to be isolated at home or government institutions choose the hotels-turned-COVID care centres as per their affordability. During isolation at hotels, the patient’s health condition is monitored, medicines are delivered in the room while dieticians and doctors offer video consultations.
People who fly from abroad to Hyderabad are quarantined at some hotels for seven days.
Closer home
On early hours of Sunday, the fire broke out in the hotel turned quarantine centre in Vijayawada. It was a ghastly reminder of the fire accident at Shine Children’s Hospital at L.B. Nagar here in October 2019, which claimed the life of an infant.
Dr Srinivasa Rao on Sunday evening has instructed all hospitals and COVID care centres to follow all fire safety norms. “Any violation of fire safety norms will be viewed seriously,” he said.