Kochi: Special Covid wards at taluk hospitals from tomorrow

KOCHI

: District medical officer (DMO) V

Jayasree

said special Covid wards will start functioning in taluk hospitals in Kothamangalam, Palluruthy, Angamaly, Tripunithura, Muvattupuzha and North Paravur from Monday. She informed this at a meeting convened by the district collector on Saturday. Currently, 47.3% of beds in government hospitals and 37.1% in private hospitals are occupied by Covid patients. As many as 1,380 patients are under treatment in hospitals. National Health Mission (

NHM

) district programme officer informed that government hospital at Mattancherry will be turned into Covid hospital.

At the meeting the collector said everybody should follow the restrictions imposed on Sunday. Kochi City and Rural police officers informed that only emergency services will be allowed on Sunday. The collector urged local bodies to ready rapid response teams at the ward level. A meeting of panchayat presidents, chairman and mayor will be held to discuss this.

The health officials have also been asked to arrange more hospital beds, if needed, in the district.

The collector asked officials to speed up the vaccination procedures. The district has achieved 100% first dose vaccination and 97% second dose vaccination. He also asked to speed up vaccination of children and booster dose shots.

Currently, districts are categorized based on the number of patients in hospitals. Ernakulam is in category A and everybody should cooperate to keep the district in this category itself. The collector also asked officials concerned to speed up the process for giving ex gratia for relatives of Covid victims and monthly financial aid for the relatives of the deceased who are under below poverty line category.

The DMO said 95.86% patients are undergoing home isolation in Ernakulam. Patients who do not have other ailments and only minor symptoms can undergo home isolation. Covid patients with comorbidities can undergo home isolation only after the advice of the doctor.

Meanwhile, it has been decided to conduct the Republic Day parade with the participation of only 50 people. Students and elderly will not be allowed to attend the parade. Four platoons will take part in the parade. March past will not be there. Student police, scouts, guides and NCC cadets will attend. The visitors and others will be allowed after thermal screening. The function will start at 8.30am.


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