Only 500 of 12,500 beds in COVID care centres occupied

“We have arranged around 12,500 beds in seven COVID care centres in the city, including the TNSCB building in Athipattu, which is the biggest COVID care centre in South India. There are around 5,000 beds in Athipattu. There is an adequate number of beds as only 500 beds are occupied,” G Prakash, Chennai Corporation Commissioner, said. 

During the first wave of the pandemic the previous year, the civic body had made arrangements for 22,500 beds in COVID care centres across the city. However, the maximum occupancy recorded last year was 5,800 beds. 

“Even if maximum occupancy doubles, we have adequate beds in the centres. Apart from this, private hospitals also have beds. As some institutions have counting centres and storerooms for EVMs, the number of beds could not be increased further. Post the counting, the number will be increased depending on the need,” he said. 

Meanwhile, the civic body decided to increase the number of screening centres to 12, so that patients could be segregated based on their symptoms. Presently, three screening centres are functioning with full strength. At the screening centres, doctors would send patients to home quarantine or COVID care centres or hospitals depending on the seriousness of their symptoms. 

“Due to COVID care centres and screening centres, only 20 per cent of the cases are going to hospitals, thus reducing the burden,” Prakash said. 

He added that the city has been divided into 12,000 blocks, each with 125 to 150 houses. As many as 12,000 workers have been appointed to conduct a fever survey in those blocks. Around 8,000 workers already started the drive and the remaining workers are expected to be joined in a week. 

As of Wednesday, the city had 20,144 active cases with 2,564 new cases reported on the day.