Prakasam in need of more hospital beds as COVID-19 cases surge in district

ONGOLE: As many as 725 new Covid-19 cases have been reported in Prakasam district, taking the number of active cases to 3,001, and total number of cases to 12,353. 

The rising number of cases has proved to be a challenge for the district Covid hospital – the Ongole Government General Hospital (RIMS) – as only 620 beds were allotted for Covid-19 patients, and the number has now been increased to 800. 

“This is the first time we are seeing such a crowd of patients, and are facing trouble to accommodate those suffering from serious symptoms of Covid-19,” RIMS medical superintendent Dr D Sree Ramulu told The New Indian Express.

Both patients and staff are facing serious sanitation problems at RIMS as more than 25 sanitation workers have tested positive for coronavirus, impacting the daily cleaning of the hospital premises. 

When contacted, Ongole Municipal Corporation Commissioner P Niranjan Reddy said the waste discarded from the hospital would be cleaned from Tuesday. 

The control room at the district Collectorate, and the ‘104’ control room, which is linked to the State Covid Centre, has received about 18,000 calls, and 80 per cent of callers were said to have been given satisfactory solutions.

“With these two round-the-clock control rooms, which have about 80 medical staff working in shifts, we have got good results. Our medical experts have given the best advice to all infectees, non-infectees, and people who called fearing the spread of the virus. We have received good feedback,” said District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) Dr Padmavathi.