Bihar reeling under Covid-19 pressure

PATNA: Covid-19 cases continue to spike in Bihar with 13789 new cases reported by the health department on Saturday, taking the active caseload to 108201 in Bihar. These positive cases were against 95686 samples tested. As per the official data, the state registered 82 deaths, after which the overall toll reached 2642.
Patna on Saturday registered the highest number of cases in a day so far, with 3042 people testing positive for the virus and active caseload in stands at 17375.Large number of Covid-19 cases were also registered in other districts including Gaya (969), Nalanda (637), Begusarai (611), West Champaran (537) and Aurangabad (508).
Nalanda Medical College and Hospital, one of the dedicated Covid hospitals in the state, alone registered 14 deaths. While 44 positive patients were admitted, 36 were discharged and as on Saturday there were 367 patients in the hospital. AIIMS-Patna reported 12 deaths on Saturday and while 39 patients were admitted, 24 were discharged in a day.
While interacting with the media, state health minister Mangal Pandey said on May 10, a walk in interview will be held by all the civil surgeons to rope in doctors in the health institute. Pandey said a decision in this regard was taken in a cabinet meeting on Friday and 1000 such doctors will be deployed for three months. He further said civil surgeons and superintendents of government medical colleges and hospitals have been given the authority to employ any kind of human resource they find necessary at the present situation for three months.
He further said the beds for Covid-19 patients were increased in different health facilities and at Rajendra Nagar Hospital, 115 bed had demarcated on Saturday, including 30 oxygenated beds and another 100 bed temporary Covid hospital will be made functional at Pataliputra Sport Complex from Monday. Even in ESIC Bihta, additional 100 beds will be added from Sunday, which at present has 50 beds for Covid patients. Pandey said a 250 bed hospital for Covid-19 patients will be made ready in next 15 days in Muzaffarpur.
Talking about the vaccination of beneficiaries between 18 to 44 years, which could not be started from May 1 because of unavailability of vaccines, Pandey said the state at present will get 16 lakh doses for the May. Once the vaccine arrives, beneficiaries will be given the slot of vaccination. However, he did not tell the tentative date of the arrival of the vaccine.