Pressure on hospitals in Ernakulam district eases as COVID-19 recoveries remain high

KOCHI: With treatment facilities for COVID patients being made available both at home and FLTCs(first-line treatment centre), the burden ongovernment and private hospitals in the district has eased considerably. Currently, 150 Covid patients are under treatment at Ernakulam Medical College Hospital. 

According to the health department, 7,372 COVID patients are under home treatment. The Government MCH has an ICU ventilator facility to accommodate and treat around 250 patients. Towards October-end, almost all the beds at the MCH had been occupied, which forced the authorities to shift patients to nearby Taluk Hospital and PVS Hospital in Kaloor. 

"Since 70 per cent of Covid patients fall under Category A and B--either asymptomatic or with mild symptoms-- the patients do not require hospital admission. In the case of those patients, who cannot undergo home treatment, there is FLTC facility and paid quarantine option. Therefore we have so far managed to ease the pressure on hospitals," said a health official.

Generally, patients with severe breathing difficulty, fever, and comorbidities are admitted to Ernakulam MCH. The services of PVS Hospital and Taluk hospitals in the district have also been requisitioned  for treating COVID patients in the district.