CHANDIGARH: Reeling under the intense third wave of Covid-19 fuelled by the Omicron variant, Punjab has witnessed 148% rise in the number of infected patients requiring hospitalisations over the past fortnight.
Despite the significant rise, the current proportion of hospitalisation is still less than the devastating second wave of infection that had overwhelmed the health infrastructure in the state, both in the public and private sectors. A large share of Covid beds – 11,409 out of 12,999 – are still available across the state for treating critically-ill patients.
Data collated by TOI shows that on January 9, the total bed occupancy was 642, which accounted for 5% of total 12,593 beds. A total of 164 intensive care unit (ICU) beds, fitted with ventilators, were occupied out of 1,360 (12.05%), while 88 ICU beds without ventilators were in use of 1,602 (5.49%). Against the oxygen beds capacity of 9,631, as many as 390 (4.04%) were occupied. Till 3 pm on January 21, 12% of 12,999 beds were occupied of which the maximum contribution was from Mohali, Patiala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar, worst-hit districts. With 432 out of 1,769 in use, the highest occupancy rate of 24.24% was noted in ICU beds without ventilators while 246 of 1,421 (17.3%) of ICU beds with ventilators were being used to provide care to patients and 912 out of 9,809 (9.29%) oxygen beds were occupied.
Against the availability of 96.75MT of medical oxygen, the demand was only 6.79MT. Learning from mistakes committed during the second wave, which saw four people dying for want of oxygen, Punjab has filled the gaps.
Hospitals with more than 50 beds have installed pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen generating plants, of which 41 such plants have been installed through the central government and another 37 plants through donations in the medical colleges and government health facilities.
The medical gas pipeline system has been laid in all the district hospitals and sub-divisional hospitals (SHD) of the state.
Punjab Covid-19 nodal officer Dr Rajesh Bhaskar stated that despite the rise in the hospitalisation numbers, there are plenty of beds available for treating critically ill patients.
Despite the significant rise, the current proportion of hospitalisation is still less than the devastating second wave of infection that had overwhelmed the health infrastructure in the state, both in the public and private sectors. A large share of Covid beds – 11,409 out of 12,999 – are still available across the state for treating critically-ill patients.
Data collated by TOI shows that on January 9, the total bed occupancy was 642, which accounted for 5% of total 12,593 beds. A total of 164 intensive care unit (ICU) beds, fitted with ventilators, were occupied out of 1,360 (12.05%), while 88 ICU beds without ventilators were in use of 1,602 (5.49%). Against the oxygen beds capacity of 9,631, as many as 390 (4.04%) were occupied. Till 3 pm on January 21, 12% of 12,999 beds were occupied of which the maximum contribution was from Mohali, Patiala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar, worst-hit districts. With 432 out of 1,769 in use, the highest occupancy rate of 24.24% was noted in ICU beds without ventilators while 246 of 1,421 (17.3%) of ICU beds with ventilators were being used to provide care to patients and 912 out of 9,809 (9.29%) oxygen beds were occupied.
Against the availability of 96.75MT of medical oxygen, the demand was only 6.79MT. Learning from mistakes committed during the second wave, which saw four people dying for want of oxygen, Punjab has filled the gaps.
Hospitals with more than 50 beds have installed pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen generating plants, of which 41 such plants have been installed through the central government and another 37 plants through donations in the medical colleges and government health facilities.
The medical gas pipeline system has been laid in all the district hospitals and sub-divisional hospitals (SHD) of the state.
Punjab Covid-19 nodal officer Dr Rajesh Bhaskar stated that despite the rise in the hospitalisation numbers, there are plenty of beds available for treating critically ill patients.
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