As COVID-19 cases continue to rise at an alarming rate, the Greater Chennai Corporation has decided to implement the concept of “oxygen parlours” to treat COVID-19 patients across three regions of the city.
The three regions in Chennai will have a 100-bed hospital with an oxygen facility to treat COVID-19 patients with breathing difficulty and patients with oxygen saturation between 90-92, but who still need oxygen support.
The corporation has already ordered oxygen concentrators and 2,700 of them will reach the city soon, Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner Gagan Singh Bedi said.
Moreover, changes have also been made regarding the RT-PCR tests. The report will not be given directly to positive patients.
The decision for patient’s requirement for hospitalisation will be taken by doctors after they check the blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and respiration rate of the patient.
The corporation will also provide a medical kit immediately to all patients who are undergoing an RT-PCR test with symptoms of fever, loose motion, loss of smell and taste, and body pain.
According to officials, this is to ensure that the patient isn’t left unattended till the arrival of the results of RTPCR. Thirty thousand such medical kits are already ready for providing to patients.
Meanwhile, India recorded 3,48,421 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours taking the overall caseload to 2,33,40,938, according to data from the Union Health Ministry.
The country’s active COVID-19 cases stand at 37,04,099.
With 4205 deaths in the last 24 hours, the total death toll is 2,54,197.
(With IANS inputs)