Pune: PMC to get 600 oxygen beds for COVID patients

Shikha Chaurasia

Pune, July 17, 2020: Due to the rising numbers of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) cases in Pune city, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has planned to arrange an additional 600 oxygen beds for critical COVID-19 patients.

PMC has roped in manufacturing companies and distributors of oxygen enrichment units for patients who need critical care. If this plan succeeds, this will help in reducing the fatality ratio of the virus in the city.  The number of active cases in the city is 10,664 out of which 500 are critical patients who need ICU beds and oxygen support.

Though the city has no shortage of beds for treatment of patients, it lacks the number of beds with oxygen support and ventilators for critical care. Many patients with mild symptoms occupy most of the beds with oxygen support due to which critically ill patients do not get these beds easily.

Since PMC has increased the number of testing capacity, the number of COVID-19 patients and critical cases has increased. The PMC has estimated that if the patients keep increasing at this rate, then the beds with oxygen support will be less and critically ill patients will be left with no support. Therefore they have started to arrange an additional 600 beds with oxygen support and ventilators.