The BMC has decided to shut all jumbo COVID centres as over 95 per cent of beds are lying vacant. As per data, 10,792 of 11,051 normal COVID beds are vacant, while 1,444 of 1,523 Oxygen beds are unoccupied. Moreover 99 per cent of oxygen and ventilator beds are also lying vacant.
The city has, meanwhile, witnessed 77 per cent drop in active coronavirus cases in the last 19 days.
Officials said very few patients are admitted for COVID treatment as most of them are asymptomatic and don’t need to be hospitalised. For the last two weeks, the city has been reporting less than 300 cases every day.
Dr Lancelot Pinto, consultant pulmonologist and epidemiologist at PD Hinduja Hospital, said, “Though we did experience a surge in the number of COVID patients in the past two months, most of those infected had a mild course and were managed at home. This is similar to the experience in January when we experienced the first Omicron surge.”
He said the city may periodically continue to see surges, but hopefully, a combination of vaccination and/or past infection will prevent a majority of those infected from having severe disease.
A senior health official from the civic health department said there are less than five patients admitted at most hospitals and jumbo centres. Considering the current scenario, the BMC has decided to shut jumbo centres and keep only two active centres.
Dr Neelam Andrade, former dean of Nesco jumbo centre in Goregaon, said they stopped admission since March, but were conducting vaccination drives. However, since July 18 they have stopped vaccination, too.
“Moreover, all the regular and specialised ICU beds, ventilators, BiPAP machines, monitors, among other hospital equipment is being gradually transferred to civic-run major and peripheral hospitals,” she said.
