Representative image
BHUBANESWAR: Beds designated for Covid patients in all major hospitals in western Odisha, which has been witnessing a huge surge in infections, and most private hospitals in Bhubaneswar are fully occupied as the state on Thursday witnessed an all-time record of 6,164 positive cases in the past 24 hours. To tackle the rush, the state government has asked all private hospitals with a minimum of 30 beds to reserve at least half of their quota, including 50% of ICU facilities, for Covid patients.
The VSS Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (Vimsar) at Burla, Sambalpur, has a 225-bed Covid facility. All the beds including the 50-bed ICU are occupied. “We can admit patients only when someone gets discharged,” said Vimsar principal Lalit Meher. Meher said another 300 beds are in the process of being commissioned.