COVID-19: Chhattisgarh CM calls for ramping up bed capacity

Amid an alarming rise in COVID-19 cases in Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Wednesday instructed officials to increase the number of beds in designated hospitals and care centres in four badly-hit districts, including Raipur, an official said.

The Chief Minister also asked bureaucrats to develop a mobile application from which people can access details of availability of beds in COVID-19 hospitals and care centres, he said here.

Baghel has given direction to increase around 10,000 beds in COVID-19 hospitals and COVID care centres in Raipur district and 2,000 beds each in such facilities in Durg, Bilaspur and Raigarh districts, said the public relations department official.

Till Tuesday evening, the state had recorded 33,387 coronavirus cases. Of these, 23,960 cases were reported just in the last one month.

Of the total count till Tuesday, 15,533 were active cases as 17,567 patients have been discharged following recovery while 287 have died, a health official said.

Raipur is currently the COVID-19 hotspot of the state, accounting for 12,000 cases, the most in a district. The district, which currently has 6,500 active cases, has seen 150 deaths so far.

According to officials, till August 17, the government had set up 178 COVID-19 care centres with facilities of 21,097 beds across the state for treatment of asymptomatic patients or those with mild coronavirus symptoms.

Besides, there are arrangements for treatment of 3,384 patients in 30 dedicated COVID-19 hospitals, they said. 

(Photo: PTI)