This story is from July 31, 2020

ESI Hosp to equip 400 beds for Covid patients with high-flow oxygen lines

ESI Hosp to equip 400 beds for Covid patients with high-flow oxygen lines
Coimbatore: At least 70 more beds have been equipped with high-flow oxygen lines in the ESI Hospital, the main Covid-19 treatment centre in the district. The hospital has 310 such beds now.
The move comes at a time when the district is seeing an upward curve in Covid-19 cases, many of which are symptomatic and require oxygen support because of breathing difficulties.
Recently, health minister C Vijaya Bahskar had announced Rs75 crore to increase beds with high-flow oxygen lines in government hospitals across the state.
Dr A Nirmala, dean, ESI Hospital, says, “Work is on to equip all the 400 beds, which have been set aside for Covid-19 patients, with oxygen lines.” Presently, 80 of the 330 patients in the hospital are on oxygen support. “We want to be prepared to provide oxygen for every patient who requires it,” she said while admitting that an increasing number of patients are coming with pneumonia and low blood oxygen saturation levels, requiring oxygen support.
Patients, who come with acute pneumonia and resultant low blood oxygen saturation levels, require oxygen support for anywhere between three and nine days. The ESI Hospital, which has discharged more than 2,000 patients in the current Covid-19 wave, is the main treatment centre for symptomatic or high-risk group patients from the Nilgiris and Tirupur as well.
Of the 270 to 280 new Covid-19 cases in the district a day, 30 to 40 symptomatic patients are admitted to the ESI Hospital.
The Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) has, meanwhile, increased the bed strength for Covid-19 patients to 555 from 200. At least 425 of them are with high-flow oxygen lines that could provide patients up to 60 litres oxygen a day.
Dr P Kalidas, CMCH dean, says, “We are admitting a few patients, who come to us directly with flu or breathing difficulties and end up testing positive for the virus. In some cases, patients with multiple complications like renal failure, requiring dialysis, also test positive. We have 30 Covid-19 patients on oxygen support and another 25 patients with flu-like symptoms. Some of them are awaiting Covid-19 results, while others are negative but require hospital care.”
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