Bhubaneswar: With the alrming increase in Covid-19 cases in Koraput district, the state government has decided to open a new Covid hospital in the districts soon, said Chief Secretary SC Mahapatra Monday.
Mahapatra, along with Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Health and Family Welfare, PK Mohapatra, Monday visited Koraput and Nabarangpur districts to review the Covid management situation in the two districts. They held meetings with senior officials of the two districts and visited the Covid hospital, reviewed the functioning of ICU, construction of new hospital wards and establishment of oxygen plants, testing facilities etc.
Mahapatra said that a new Covid hospital will start functioning in Koraput district within the next two days. The facility will have 94 beds along with 24 ICU beds and three ventilators, adding, the Covid situation is under control in the Koraput district.
Medical oxygen plants will be set up at the medical college and district headquarters hospital (DDH) in the Koraput district within the next three months, he said.
During the review it was found that the test and positivity ratio in the two districts have reduced during the last few days because of weekend shutdown and other enforcement measures taken by the government. This trend is declining in the state and is expected to reduce further in coming days, sources said.
Replying to media queries after the field visit and review at Nabarangpur, the Chief Secretary said that a new RT-PCR testing machine would be operational in the district shortly. It would provide testing facility of around 500 samples per day. All efforts would be made to complete the construction of the oxygen plant and new ward within 3 to 4 months, he added.
PNN