Jamshedpur: Even though the number of active
Covid cases, new infections and casualties in
East Singhbhum district have fallen sharply in the last six weeks, the district administration, fearing another surge in infections, are going all out to ensure that there is no shortage of Covid
beds at hospitals in the coming days.
The district health department has issued directions to all dedicated Covid hospitals to keep existing beds ready for the patients infected in the second wave of the pandemic, which, experts who have studied the behaviour of the virus in other parts of the country and around the globe believe, is likely to begin sometime in mid-December.
With 16,985 positive cases and 16,318 recoveries till Monday, the district has just 317 active Covid cases left. The figure is the lowest since July 6, according to state government data. With 350 deaths, the district is the worst affected in the state as far as the toll is concerned and is second on the list of cumulative caseload after Ranchi.
The health authorities have also made sure that 10 beds are reserved for Covid patients at all the nine Community Health Center (CHCs) in the district. “Of the 10 reserved beds, five are equipped with oxygen supply,” district surveillance officer (DSO) Sahir Pal said.
Pal said the district has more than 1200 Covid beds at seven dedicated hospitals and care centres in Sidhgora and Musaboni among other localities. “The capacity seems to be sufficient for the next surge, but we also have the resources to increase the number if required,” he added.
With a special Covid testing drive beginning on Monday, the health department is not ruling out the possibility of an increase in corona cases. “The purpose of our testing camp at Tatanagar railway station and RT-PCR testing at static locations is to detect all symptomatic and asymptomatic patients and avert any possibility of a largescale spread of the new virus,” Pal added.
On directions from the administration, all private enterprises and public institutions in the district have asked their employees who were on leave during the festive season to get tested for Covid before rejoining work. “Several government employees and private company officials came in for TrueNat testing on Tuesday as they have to carry the copy of the report to the institution to rejoin work,” Pal said.