KATHMANDU: Though the number of new COVID-19 infected people has been on decreasing trend across the nation, the number of such patients visiting Patan Hospital for admission and in need of oxygen therapy and ICU has not decreased.
According to the hospital, the number of coronavirus-infected people being admitted at the hospital has not dropped. A total of 225 COVID-19 patients were at the COVID ward while 210 others at other wards of the hospital on Tuesday.
Director at Patan Hospital, Dr Rabi Shakya, said that number of COVID-19 patients visiting the hospital for oxygen therapy has not decreased. Around 25 new patients visit the hospital daily. He added that all ICU, except NICU, are packed with COVID-19 patients.
According to the hospital, though the number of people visiting the hospital for PCR test has decreased, the number of patients visiting the hospital to be admitted has not declined. Shakya shared that number of people visiting the ‘fever clinic’ has also decreased to some extent as well as people visiting the hospital for PCR test is also decreasing since one week.
The hospital has been carrying out treatment of COVID-19 patients since last year. It has been expanding the capacity of COVID ward as per the need. The hospital has now 300-bed in COVID ward and all beds are almost packed. Although the government has imposed prohibitory order, the hospital has not closed OPD service.
Shakya added, “The hospital has been carrying out treatment of all patients visiting the hospital.” The hospital has set aside 30 ICU and 18 ventilators for treatment of COVID-19 patients. Apart from the COVID-19 ICUs, the hospital has 20 ICUs including surgical, medical and pediatric.
Hospital director Shakya said the number of beds has been increased as per the need with the surge in coronavirus infection cases. “It was 21 when the infection started and the number of beds has been expanded as per the need,” he added.
The hospital has been allocating the beds targeted to COVID-19 patients in line with its previous year’s plan. So far it has set aside nearly half the total 650 beds of the hospital for this purpose. Shakya said all the beds could be allocated for COVID-19 patients if required and the hospital turned into a ‘COVID Hospital’.
The hospital said that it can treat coronavirus-infected patients by setting up tents on the hospital premises if such need arised. RSS
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