About 8,000 additional beds will be available within a week in Greater Mumbai to accommodate coronavirus patients. In addition to this, 12,000 beds from 53 large hospitals will also be available to treat COVID-19 patients due to the state government’s decision to acquire 80% beds from private hospitals.
Public Health Minister Rajesh Tope said 2,600 beds are put in place at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon, 300 beds in Mahalaxmi Racecourse which will be put to use in the next two days. The jumbo facilities are being developed at Mulund, Dahisar and Byculla with 2,000 each beds and will be operationalized in a week.
In addition to this, Principal Secretary Manisha Mhaiskar, who is assigned to oversee detection and isolation of Covid-19 cases, has said that the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation run Nair hospital has commissioned 1036 beds comprising of 900 beds with oxygen support including 120 maternity beds, 110 ICU beds and 27 daily dialysis slots. Seven Hills has also notched a 1000 bed capacity.
Mhaiksar said BMC has proposed field hospitals at various locations from BKC to Dahisar to Mulund for the mild symptomatic patients. Today with 100 patients, BKC will accommodate up to 1000 patients.
BMC Commissioner Iqbal Chahal at the video conference with senior officers said the COVID-19 doubling rate has showed down to 16 days from 13 days while it has slowed down to 20 days in hotspots including G-South, G-North and M-East. The recovery rate is 43% while the fatality rate is 3.2% in Greater Mumbai.
Meanwhile, Tope has directed the department to undertake spraying of insecticides ahead of monsoon to curb the spread of malaria and dengue.
