The district has been seeing a steady spike in COVID-19 cases since the last 60 days. From July 1 to as on September 3, the district recorded over 39,000 cases with August alone registering close to 28,000 cases. The district authorities say that as per the predictions, the spike is expected to be larger in September.
The prevalence rate in the GVMC limits has already touched 20%, and the spike is expected, as the rate of testing would increase in this month.
“We have already taken a decision to test 90% of the population in containment zones, which could range from 5,000 to 7,000 tests per day. And if 20% is the prevalence rate, then the number of positives could range between 1,000 and 1,400,” said District Collector V. Vinay Chand.
On the hospital front, Mr. Vinay Chand said that the oncology block in KGH is getting ready and it is likely to be opened on September 5.
“This block will have 500 beds and all of them will be oxygenated. Out of them, about 100 will be connected to ventilators and remaining will have a single line oxygen facility. This apart we have installed 40 high-flow nasal oxygen meters,” he said.
According to him, the capacity in VIMS have been enhanced from 550 to 650 beds and of them 216 are ICU beds. The required oxygen supply has been received and installed in all tertiary hospitals and the four teaching hospitals and GHCCD.
Special Officers for all 10 urban and 5 rural constituencies under GVMC have been appointed and their primary job is to trace and record positive cases, including both primary and secondary contacts.
The contact tracing will primarily done through the primary health secretaries in the rural areas and ward secretaries in urban areas.
And once done, the data will be uploaded in the app of medical officers in the 72 PHCs in the urban areas and all medical officers posted in rural PHCs, including in tribal areas, who will examine the positive cases.
“We basically have divided positive cases into five categories – all pre-symptomatic, asymptomatic and mild cases under one category, moderate cases with mild pneumonia, severe pneumonia with ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome) and septic shock or sepsis and positives with hypoxia and dyspnea. In the first two categories, they will recommended home isolation or CCC (COVID Care Centres) for the next three categories hospitalisation will be advised and they will be sent to one out of the tertiary care hospitals, if in serious condition, or to any of the four teaching hospitals such as ENT, Regional Eye Hospital, RCD and Psychiatry Ward or Government Hospital for Chest and Communicable diseases (GHCCD),” said Mr. Vinay Chand.
Altogether the four teaching hospitals and GHCCD have an installed capacity of about 560 beds, with GHCCD equipped with 45 ICU beds and 40 ventilators.
In the rural areas, hospitalisation cases will be diverted to the nearest 15 Vaidya Vidhan Parishad Hospitals or any of the two district or two area hospitals, he said.
“The data of home isolation will be uploaded into the ANMs’ app and the ANMs will monitor the cases on a regular basis. This apart a 15-member call centre is being established to monitor the home isolation cases and we intent to cover every case every two days. If complication is reported, then the medical officers present round-the-clock at the call centre or GVMC Command Control Centre will divert the case to a hospital,” he said.
According to Mr. Vinay Chand, the first line of approach is the ward volunteers office and anyone with symptoms or doubt can approach the office or the volunteer, from where it will be taken forward.
‘More ambulances’
He also informed The Hindu that the issue with ambulance has been sorted out, as 72 ambulances has already been posted in each of the wards and another 53 will be joining shortly after undergoing minor repairs. “We have also sanctioned a budget of ₹25 lakh to get the old 108 and 104 ambulances repaired and push them into service,” said the District Collector.