As lockdown 4.0 ends, analysis of government data show uptake of critical care facilities for COVID19 patients remains very low
As Lockdown 4.0 nears end, an analysis of the statewise usage of ICUs, ventilators and oxygen beds shows that India is comfortably placed. The data for May 27 when the total number of active cases was 83004, just three patients were on ventilator.
Less than 3500 needed any kind of intervention – oxygen therapy, ICU or ventilators.
A total of 1,868 patients needed ICU (2.25 per cent), while 1585 people (1.91 per cent) were on oxygen. This is good news because one of the purposes of the lockdown has been to entire that medical infrastructure of not overwhelmed. On Thursday Niti Ayog member Dr Vinod Paul said: “Our goal is to control the pandemic and then restore normalcy so that life can go on. That balance is key to all decisions on restrictions. We have to make sure that the size of the pandemic remains below our capacity to treat patients.”
Until May 15, 18,855 ventilators were available in the country for Covid care, according to the data shared with the group of ministers that day. In addition, 60,000 ventilators have been ordered.
“As of 27th May 2020, 930 dedicated COVID hospitals with 1,58,747 Isolation beds, 20,355 ICU beds and 69,076 Oxygen supported beds are available. 2,362 dedicated COVID Health Centres with 1,32,593 Isolation beds; 10,903 ICU beds and 45,562 Oxygen supported beds have been operationalised. 10,341 quarantine centres and 7,195 COVID Care Centres with 6,52,830 beds are now available to combat COVID-19 in the country,” the Health Ministry said in a statement on May 27.
