More Covid Care Centres in each zone: BBMP Chief

BENGALURU: With Covid-19 cases rising rapidly, BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta on Friday said more Covid Care Centres are being planned at the zonal level. Speaking to reporters after a meeting with health officials and zonal commissioners, Gupta said that directions have been issued to identify places in each zone, where 2-3 CCCs with a capacity of 50-100 beds will be created. Emphasis is on reviewing and reopening the ones which were in use earlier. He, however, stated that these CCCs will not be as big as the existing two centres of the government -- Haj Bhavan and HAL Command and Control Centre, or the earlier one at BIEC.

The need to create more CCCs by the BBMP and health department has risen because 60 per cent of the beds in the existing two CCCs are already full. Meanwhile, Gupta said there are too many numbers through which people can reach out for medical emergencies and for Covid-related issues, which is creating confusion. So now, a single contact number - 1912 - will be promoted in and around Bengaluru for all Covid-related queries, services and problems. 

On the vaccination issue, Gupta said that at present, 36,000 people are being vaccinated in the city, which will be increased to one lakh per day. He added that talks are being held with apartment and commercial complexes to increase vaccination, while emphasis is also being laid on testing, quarantine and home isolation. If five people from one house test positive, the neighbouring houses will also be declared containment zones. 

He added that a Centralised Hospital Bed Management system is being reactivated, which will make people aware about bed availability. Already, 80 per cent of the people who have tested positive are in home isolation.Pertaining to Bengaluru Karaga, Gupta said so far, nothing has been decided, considering that 95 people have tested positive in Dharmarayaswamy temple ward.