Number of critical COVID-19 patients increasing: Himanta Biswa Sarma

State cases 1,05,774, Active 21,548, Discharged 83,927, Death 296

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said the number of COVID-19 positive patients developing health complications is increasing. He said that there is an urgent need to increase the number of ICU beds at government hospitals to treat such patients.

After inaugurating a special pediatrics unit at the Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (MMCH) at Pan Bazar here to treat children infected with COVID-19 on Sunday afternoon, Sarma said the government is receiving increasing number of virus-infected patients with other health complications. He also said that the ICUs at Gauhati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH) and MMCH are now remaining fully occupied.

"We have to increase the number of ICU beds in hospitals. The COVID Care Centre at Kalapahar has already been closed down; and it will be converted into an Intensive Care Centre to treat the critical COVID patients. More such critical care facilities will be created at various other places across the State," Sarma said.

Congratulating the medical team at MMCH for having completed a 55-bed pediatric unit, Sarma said the COVID infected children had faced certain problems in other hospitals. The special unit at MMCH will take care of various needs of COVID infected children, he said.

Meanwhile, Sarma visited GMCH to take stock of the health condition of former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi who was infected with COVID-19. Sarma said that Gogoi is doing well, adding that his oxygen saturation remains between 97 & 98. Other vital health parameters of Gogoi are also normal, he pointed out.

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