Health workers screen residents of Jai Bhavani Kreeda Mandal at Sant Kakkayya Marg in Dharavi. File pic
Over two weeks after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) issued a circular asking private hospitals across the city to not admit walk-in COVID-19 patients without the permission of the local ward war rooms, the number of such patients in hospitals have reduced to less than 10 per cent, claimed the civic body. Of the total 9,551 patients admitted in 141 hospitals, only 874 are walk-ins.
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A civic official said that the walk-in patients were occupying hospital beds meant for those who are symptomatic and needy. However, the official said that the direction given to hospitals was yielding results.
"Out of the 9,551 patients, only 874 are walk-in suspected ones. This has helped to free up space for more needy patients. Now more than 100 ICU beds and 67 ventilator beds are available as per the live dashboard," said Iqbal Singh Chahal, municipal commissioner of the BMC.
"Civic teams allot beds for positive patients so that they don't have to go looking for them. It also gives the teams more responsibility and they are doing it effectively as well," said another BMC official.
While the total number of patients in the city has crossed the 80,000 mark, the number of active patients has come down to 24,882 from last week's 29,000. As of July 3, 9,551 patients are admitted in Dedicated COVID Hospitals and Dedicated COVID Health Centres and 2,676 in Corona Care Centres.
Besides, the BMC added 200 ICU beds each in Seven Hills Hospital and St. George's Hospital on Thursday and 100 beds in the BKC centre on Friday. With this, the total number of ICU beds now stands at 1,610. While occupancy of ICU beds has increased from 1,215 on June 23 to 1,510 on July 3, still 127 beds are available.
ICU beds added
- Seven Hills Hospital: 115 (from 85 to 200)
- St. George's Hospital: 73 (27 to 100)
- BKC centre: 100
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