Chennai Corporation to add 5,720 more beds at COVID care centres

Chennai

According to Chennai Corporation data, as many as 4,405 beds are available at the 18 COVID care centres, which are educational institutions. Apart from the existing number of beds, additional 5,720 beds would be augmented to increase the total beds to 10,125 at institutional COVID care centres.

Apart from educational institutions, COVID care centres are set up at convention centres, unused slum board apartments. Overall, 13,000 beds would be ready.

The Chennai Corporation has created COVID care centres to treat patients without major symptoms to free beds at the hospitals for critical patients. “We are sending positive patients without symptoms to home quarantine if their houses are fit for isolation. So, we have only around 20 per cent of active cases in the COVID care centres,” an official said.

In another move to increase the number of beds, the civic body has decided to take over large buildings violating any norms.

“Such buildings are now vacant as the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority refused to issue completion certificates. These facilities will augment more beds in case of need arises,” he added.

Meanwhile, State Municipal Administration Minister SP Velumani said that the civic body has made arrangements to house 25,000 persons, who would be shifted from slum areas, to break the chain densely populated areas.

“As of now, 2,500 persons are staying in the facilities and we are planning to add space for another 25,000 persons. As many as 98 NGOs are employed to identify symptomatic persons in slums,” Velumani said during a review meeting held at Ripon Buildings on Wednesday.