HOSPITALS IN CHENNAI ARE SHIFTING STABLE COVID-19 PATIENTS TO QUARANTINE CENTRES 

As the deadly coronavirus cases are on rise in Tamil Nadu, hospitals in Chennai are shifting asymptomatic and stable patients to city's institutional quarantine facilities or centers. With most of the government hospitals running out of beds in no time, this decision is taken for mild and asymptomatic patients around the city. 

As per a New Indian Express report, Dr Narayana Babu, Director of Medical Education, claimed that 73 stable COVID-19 patients from the Stanley Medical College Hospital were shifted to a quarantine facility in DG Vaishnav College on Sunday. 

“There are 1,750 beds for COVID patients in Chennai government hospitals. Close to 1200 beds have become full. We would only be shifting asymptomatic patients who are below 55 years of age with no comorbid conditions after doing a detailed study,’’ says Dr Babu, who is in charge of bed facilities. 

Further speaking on the facilities provided, he said that 270 beds are occupied in the Omandurar hospital out of the 500 beds available while 190 are occupied in Stanley out of the 400 available beds. Close to 60 percent of stable patients from Omandurar may be shifted soon to institutional quarantine facilities.

Highlighting over the rise in COVID-19 case, Dr R Jayanthi, dean of the hospital stated that, the sudden rise of cases are from Royapuram and Thiru-vi-ka Nagar which has increased the number of patients in Stanley and RGGGH.

Meanwhile, the Chennai Corporation currently has a capacity of 4,000 beds across the city, including 600 in the Trade Center, 120 in Vepery Veterinary College, 42 in Bharathi Women’s Arts College and some more beds in Loyola College and DG Vaishnav.

However, the dean of Kilpauk Medical College Dr P Vasanthamani said the hospital has 320 patients currently and 40 could soon be discharged. “Shifting is not just putting a patient elsewhere. It means moving the hospital itself to another place. So we have to ensure all the medical equipment, thermometers, PPEes are transferred,’’ says Dr Vasanthamani.

Further giving reasons about shifting, she said patients would only be transferred to institutional quarantine after they are consulted.