Andhra Pradesh govt takes over 58 private hospitals across the state to deal with COVID-19

The Andhra Pradesh government has taken over 58 private hospitals across 13 districts in the state to deal with the coronavirus crisis. According to reports, a total of 19,11 hospital beds are available across the state. Out of the total, 17,111 are non-ICU beds, 1,286 are ICU beds and 717 are isolation beds. 

Speaking to the news agency ANI, State Nodal Officer Girija Shankar said that several private institutions have responded to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's call to fight against the Coronavirus.

The officer added, "We have taken over a total of 58 private hospitals with a capacity of over 19,000 beds. This will further boost our medical infrastructure and help the state prepare for any eventuality."

Along with it, the state government has also ordered three lakh rapid testing kits. Meanwhile, the production of ventilators and other medical equipment has started in Visakhapatnam. Currently, a total of 348 Coronavirus positive cases have been reported in the state. 

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Coronavirus crisis in India

According to the latest update of the Health Ministry, about 5,274 cases of COVID-19 infection have been reported in the country including 4,714 active cases. While 149 deaths have been reported overall, around 411 people have been cured. Currently, the highest number of cases have been reported from Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

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In a bid to tackle the growing crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 had announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus, stating that "social distancing" is the only way to contain the disease which is spreading rapidly across the world. 

Meanwhile, PM Modi has also established a dedicated national fund with the primary objective of dealing with any kind of emergency or distress situation -- like posed by the COVID-19 pandemic -- and to provide relief to the affected. A public charitable trust under the name of ‘Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund’ (PM CARES Fund) has been established for the same.

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(With ANI Inputs; Image Source: ANI)