Five Andhra Pradesh coronavirus hospitals denotified as cases fall

VIJAYAWADA:  As there has been a considerable decline in the daily spike of coronavirus cases over the last four weeks, the government on Tuesday denotified five State Covid-19 hospitals. These institutions can now continue as general hospitals and extend regular medical services.

The state medical and health department, in March and April,  had notified the Government General Hospital (GGH)-Vijayawada, Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS)-Visakhapatnam, GGH-Nellore, Padmavathi Hospital-Tirupati and GGH-Kurnool as State Covid hospitals to manage the rising Covid-19 infections, and comorbid patients referred from district Covid-19 hospitals who require quality medical care.

Principal Secretary (Health) Anil Kumar Singhal, through Covid instant order 85 issued on Tuesday, has denotified the five institutions as State Covid hospitals with immediate effect as the number of cases have come down considerably, and also as the district level hospitals are also equipped with ventilators, ICU facilities and specialist doctors. 

However, the above hospitals have to allot a considerable number of beds and wards for Covid-19 management, in accordance to the guidelines issued by the Centre and the AP government. In case of any surge in Covid-19 positive cases, the government can again notify the above hospitals, fully or partially, as state Covid hospitals, the order read.