The space in COVID-19 designated hospitals across north Kashmir’s Baramulla district is shrinking with the overflowing rush of patients.
Three days after the Government Medical College Baramulla authorities started a 15-bedded ward for COVID-19 patients at GMC Baramulla after the 60-bedded COVID-19 wellness centre at Indoor Stadium Baramulla ran out of capacity, the newly-created ward too now stands fully occupied with COVID-19 positive patients.
The surge in the COVID-19 cases has now prompted authorities at GMC Baramulla to look for more wards to accommodate more patients.
“We are now mulling to creat a space for 60 to 70 patients inside the GMC. This will be in addition to the already 15-bedded ward recently started at the medical college,” said an official of GMC Baramulla.
The Government Medical College Baramulla authorities are also setting up 6-bedded Non Invasive Ventilation (NIV) for the critical patients who in absence of such facility were being shifted to Srinagar hospitals.
The start of NIV at GMC Baramulla will be a big relief for the critical COVID-19 positive patients.
“The work on the 6 ICU beds is under progress. The facility will soon be available to the critical patients who otherwise were being shifted to Srinagar hospitals,” said an official at GMC Baramulla.
The Baramulla district administration also started 5 new COVID wellness centres across the district on Thursday. These centres had been established at Tarzoo, Delina, Mohra Uri and Warikhah Boniyar.
“In order to effectively tackle the pandemic issue, these new wellness centres had been established at different places of the district. These centres will be equipped with all the facilities needed for the coronavirus patients,” said an official.
Baramulla district had been witnessing massive increase in the COVID-19 patients since April this year.
Around 13 patients have died at GMC Baramulla and SDH Sopore, a designated hospital for COVID-19 patients.
An elderly woman from Rafiabad succumbed Friday morning at GMC Baramulla while on Thursday two persons lost their battle with the deadly virus.
The death toll at GMC Baramulla since April this year has reached nine.