TPR: 25.69%, 3,75 lakh patients under treatment
Thiruvananthapuram, May 05: 41,953 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Kerala today from 1,63,321 sample tests, the highest single-day number of positive cases reported so far in the State. Ernakulam district has the maximum number of 6,558 new cases. 58 deaths were also confirmed as caused by Covid taking the related death toll in the state to 5,565. Presently, there are 3,75,658 patients undergoing treatment while 23,106 patients have recovered from the disease today.
Briefing the media, Chief Minister, Shri Pinarayi Vijayan said, “The State is going through a very serious situation and the Covid is spreading rapidly. All figures are increasing and the test positivity rate is not reducing either. In these circumstances, we need to strengthen the restrictions. As the number of Covid patients increases by the day, the need for oxygen has also increased. Oxygen stock is decreasing very rapidly. In this scenario, we need the Centre’s help in maintaining adequate stock of oxygen. I have requested the Prime Minister to provide 1,000 MT of imported liquefied medical oxygen to the State.”
“Kerala should be allotted 500 MT as the first instalment from the current import quota. Another 500 MT may be allotted in the next phase. Consideration may also be given to allocating 500 MT from any steel plant near Kerala. In view of the increasing number of Covid patients, Kerala should be provided with as many oxygen tankers, PSA plants, oxygen concentrators and ventilators as possible on a high priority basis”, said the Chief Minister.
He also wrote to the PM that the state should be allotted 50 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine and 25 lakh doses of Covaxin. The Centre should take into account the number of people waiting for the second dose and those who have registered for the first dose while allocating vaccines to the States. He also assured the Prime Minister that Kerala would be at the forefront of the fight against the Covid pandemic collaborating with the Central Government.
Status of ICU/Ventilator/Oxygen Beds
The Chief Minister today gave a broad picture about the status of ICU/Ventilator/Oxygen beds in the State. There are 2,857 ICU beds in government hospitals across Kerala. Of this, 996 beds are being used for the treatment of Covid patients and 756 beds for non-Covid patients. About 38.7% of ICU beds in government hospitals are still available. In private hospitals, there are 7,085 ICU beds and currently, 1,037beds are being used for Covid patients.
The total number of ventilators currently available in government hospitals is 2,293. Of these, 441 ventilators are being used for the treatment of Covid patients and 185 for non-Covid patients, which means, a total of about 27.3% are currently in use. Of 1523 ventilators in private hospitals, 377 are currently being used for Covid treatment.
0.96% of the beds in CFLTCs and 20.6% of the beds in CLTCs are oxygen beds. Of the total 3,231 oxygen beds in medical colleges, 1,731 have been set aside for Covid treatment and presently, patients are being treated in 1,429 beds. 546 were non-Covid patients. This means, of the total 3,231 oxygen beds, 1,975 are now in use.