Beds tally be to increased at Codissia to accommodate fresh Covid-19 cases

As many as 400 beds shall be added in the CCC with the existing 300 beds, which were already occupied with asymptomatic Covid-19 positive patients, said sources
For representational purpose.  (Photo | Pandarinath B, EPS)
For representational purpose. (Photo | Pandarinath B, EPS)

COIMBATORE: Fearing more fresh cases from nine hot spots in Coimbatore leading to the risk of local transmission, the health department has planned to increase the beds tally at Covid Care Centre (CCC) which was set up at Codissia Trade Fair Complex.

As many as 400 beds shall be added in the CCC with the existing 300 beds, which were already occupied with asymptomatic Covid-19 positive patients, said sources.

It is said the new beds shall be placed at a different hall at Codissia.

Kovai's positivity rate is 5 pc:

Deputy Director of Health Services G Ramesh Kumar told Express the Coimbatore district's Covid-19 positivity rate is five per cent. Even as the positivity rate is dynamic, he said, the number depends on the total samples tested per day. The district is making use of both government and private labs to test around 4,200 to 4,500 samples daily.

With the state government recently allowing pool testing for Covid-19 diagnosis in areas with a 2 to 5 per cent positivity rate, Ramesh said they might initiate the method only in hot spots.

As far as the pooled testing algorithm is concerned, it involves putting together samples of multiple individuals (not more than three to five) in a tube and screening through the PCR test. This method could save time, Ramesh added.

Hotspots:

Presently, Coimbatore sees an upsurge in fresh cases from the hot spots in Selvapuram, Kuniyamuthur, Karumbukadai, Podanur, Pattanam, RG Street, Saravanampatti, among others.

Coimbatore, which surpassed 2,043 cases on Sunday, faces no respite from the virulence of the Covid-19 infection as fresh cases continue to mount in the hot spots.

Amidst this, a question arises whether doing random screening of people could help understand the present status of the infection in Coimbatore? However, opinions are varied.

Renowned virologist T Jacob John said, "Random checking has no role but only will waste the reagents. Only the persons with symptoms or other co-morbid conditions could be tested, their contacts traced, they should be put on household quarantine. Whereas, the asymptomatic patients shall be tested after their close contacts develop some health conditions."

Hotspots:

- Selvapuram

- Kuniyamuthur

- Karumbukadai

- Podanur

- Saravanampatti

- Ukkadam

- Thudiyalur

- Kavundampalayam

- Ramanathapuram

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com