People rush back to vaccination centres as Covid-19 scare resurfaces

Hospitals check equipment, trial run of oxygen plants ahead of mock drills

The spike in fresh Covid-19 cases in the wake of a new Omicron sub-variant, XBB.1.16, has pushed people to vaccination centres again, to get that booster shot that many of them had skipped.

The number of weekly vaccinations has surged with daily Covid-19 cases rising in recent days.

There were 45,029 vaccinations for the seven days ended March 15, shows data from the government’s CoWin Portal. This was up 38 per cent to 62,339 as of March 31 (chart 1). Vaccinations often dip during the weekend. A rolling seven-day period has hence been used so that such effects are ironed out. The data for every day captures a seven-day rolling sum. This means weekend figures are included for every date to provide a more accurate comparison.

The number of cases have risen to their highest level since September 30, 2022. There were 3,824 cases as of Sunday. The highest before this was 3,947 cases on September 30 (chart 2).

The positivity rate, or the number of tests per 100 that are positive, are in double-digits in some districts. Delhi has several districts in which this is the case. This includes South Delhi (21.55 per cent), East Delhi (21.15 per cent), and Central Delhi (17.77 per cent). It is 16.9 per cent in Maharashtra’s Mumbai Suburban district, 11.23 per cent in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore district. The data is for the period from March 26 to April 1.

Delhi's LNJP hospital, which has about 2,000 beds in all, has kept 450 beds aside for Covid patients. The hospital has taken stock of its oxygen and PSA plants. Currently only eight of its beds are occupied by Covid patients, of whom one is on ventilator. The age group ranges from 25-65 years. "Right now it seems like it is just an increase. It does not look like another wave. But we are prepared," said Suresh Kumar, medical director, LNJP.

Fortis Healthcare is operating its oxygen plants regularly--at least once weekly if not daily--to keep them in working condition. The hospital chain has an installed capacity for Vacuum Swing Absorption (VSA) Oxygen Generator Plant of abiut 4,000 litres a minute across its 28 hospitals, apart from gas cylinder banks and liquid medical oxygen tanks.

Dr Bishnu Panigrahi, Group Head, Medical Strategy and Operations, Fortis Healthcare, said they are ready for the mock-drill set to take place on April 10 and 11, whether its in terms of oxygen plants, equipment, manpower etc.

North India-based Ujala Cygnus group of hospitals too has held meetings with all its heads to be prepared for the worst. "If the variant changes we are prepared, but I do not think Omicron will cause a lot of hospitalisation. We have enough supply of PPE kits, drugs, and oxygen," said Shuchin Bajaj, Founder Director of Ujala Cygnus Hospital.  

The Kerala government issued fresh guidelines on Covid after active cases zoomed to 4,375 on Saturday. All public and private hospitals were asked to ensure that all Covid patients get treatment and also directed district level officials to send samples for Whole-genome sequencing (WGS).

In addition to this, masks were made mandatory for those suffering from diseases like diabetics, hypertension, cancer, heart and kidney-related issues.

According to a source, districts are putting in fresh orders for masks and PPE kits, so that in case of a wave, the state remains prepared.

Masks have also been made mandatory for those above 60 years of age, health workers, patients and bystanders at hospitals. "As of now, we are not facing any oxygen issues. But the state is well prepared," the source added.