Srinagar: Srinagar’s Chest Diseases (CD) hospital is running out of oxygen beds as COVID-19 numbers have shot up metorically in Jammu and Kashmir.
Professor and Head of Department, Chest Medicine, Dr Naveed Nazir Monday said that out of the around 100 beds with oxygen facility at the hospital, “90 per cent” are occupied.
“We are not admitting patients with mild symptoms. They are asked to go for home isolation. At present all our beds are almost full,” he said.
Dr Nazir said that all the cases admitted at CD hospital are “severe cases” which need oxygen and injectables.
“We have oxygen facility at all the beds and have ventilators as a backup as well. We also have 50 more beds available as a backup at a nursing home,” the leading medico said.
“It’s high time for the people to take all precautions to prevent the spread of Covid-19 pandemic and that the situation shouldn’t be allowed to go out of control,” Dr Nazir told news agency Kashmir News Observer.
He said that the situation shouldn’t be allowed to go out of control and people should take all precautions to prevent the spread of the virus.
“We had been stating that Covid is here and it has not gone away. One thing that needs to be hailed is that people have started following SoPs. There is hardly anyone who doesn’t wear a mask. This is a good sign,” he said, adding that “we must strictly follow SoPs and contain the situation.”
Dr Naveed said that there is no shortage of oxygen in Srinagar and one more oxygen plant is coming up in the city this month.
About the Covid vaccine, he said that there are some cases who have tested positive even after taking the Covid vaccine, but that is obvious as the vaccine takes at least three weeks to adjust in the body.
“Its efficacy too isn’t 100 percent but it has surely helped to prevent the severity in the patients who test positive, which is significant. People must take Covid vaccines as it helps to prevent mortality,” he said.
(KNO inputs)