Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday roped in as many as 186 hotels, lodges and guesthouses across the city and have converted them into dedicated Covid-19 care centres.
These 186 hotels, lodges and guesthouses identified by the civic body across all 24 wards have made created total 11997- bed capacity for citizens tested positive for the Novel Coronavirus with asymptomatic or very mild symptoms. .
The move was taken after the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare department/ directorate general of health services, Government of India, issued a guidance document on appropriate management of suspected/ confirmed cases of Covid 19. The guidance document has mentioned that the available data in India suggests that nearly 70% of the cases affected by Covid 19 either exhibit mild symptom or very mild symptom.
Such cases may not require admission to Covid 19 blocks or to the dedicated Covid 19 hospitals. According to BMC, the move will also ensure that available hospital bed capacity is used only for moderate to severe cases of covid 19.
"We have already acquired private hospitals and private premises such a Rajiv Gandhi Sports Centre in Dharavi, NSCI Stadium in Worli and among others to accommodate / quarantine high risk contacts of people tested positive for Covid 19. However, those tested positive irrespective of their conditions they are shifted to the hospitals.
With the number of cases surging each day, we will need dedicated hospital beds for those who are critical or having severe symptoms. Those with mild symptoms can be treated at the newly created Covid Care centres too," said senior BMC official.
