Bengaluru: In the wake of a surge in COVID-19 cases in Karnataka, the state government has agreed to set up temporary hospitals with ICU and ventilators in the next two weeks.
The private are directed to set aside 80% of their beds for Covid patients.
“Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa took a crucial decision on Friday to set up a 2,000-bed makeshift ICU with ventilators inside the campus of the tertiary care hospitals in Bengaluru,” said Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar.
In addition, in Mysuru, Hubballi, Bidar, Belagavi, and Shivamogga, makeshift hospitals with modular ICUs with a capacity of about 250 beds will be built. “The order will most likely be released by the end of the day,” Sudhakar predicted.
“We only used 300 to 350 tonnes of oxygen the last time when our cases were at their worst. We’ve already used up 500 tonnes of oxygen this time. You can see how, as this continues to rise, oxygen levels might become insufficient “he added.
