Beds at hospitals fill up at a rapid pace as coronavirus hits masses

CHENNAI:  As Covid-19 cases are increasing daily in Chennai, beds in many hospitals are fast filling up. Though bed occupancy is comfortable in many hospitals, in some big private hospitals in the city, beds are almost full as per Health Department data. In government hospitals, they are fast filling up.

Chennai on Sunday reported 2,124 cases and active cases increased to 15,761 from 14,255 on Saturday. As per data in stopcorona.tn. gov.in on Saturday, at Apollo Hospitals, Greams Road, all 65 Covid beds - including all 18 ICU beds and 35 oxygen beds - were occupied. All 18 ventilators were full. At Kauvery Hospitals, all 60 beds including 25 oxygen beds and 10 ICU beds were full.

Out of six ventilators, two were occupied. At MGM Healthcare, out of 80 beds, 73 were full, and among them all 15 ICU beds were occupied, and out of 65 oxygen beds, 58 were full. At Billroth Hospital, Shenoy Nagar, all 130 oxygen beds and 20 ICU beds were occupied. The hospital’s Covid bed capacity is 165 beds, with 164 filled up.

As beds in government hospitals are also filling up fast, hospitals are having a tough time managing additional non-Covid services. Doctors say that unlike last year, since there are no travel restrictions, more people are visiting out-patient (OP) units and hospitals are having a tough time managing them as well. Dr P Vasanthamani, Dean, Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital said, “Last year, there was a lockdown, so the number of people coming to OP was less.

But it is not the case this year. So we have to manage that as well. Also, we have cut down on elective surgeries and only do selective surgeries.” Meanwhile, Dr P Balaji, Dean, Government Stanley Medical College Hospital said all doctors, nurses and other staff are helping in the smooth conduct of non- Covid services. However, only selective elective surgeries are being done. “We see crowds in OP wards also. Still we haven’t reached a level where non-Covid services need to cut down.”