Notwithstanding the exponential spike in Omicron-propelled COVID-19 cases, the Coronavirus-specific hospitals in Odisha are largely empty with a sizeable number of vacant beds as the severity of infection is much on the lower side than what was witnessed in the Covid delta variant surge last year.

“In a reassuring trend of events, the infected persons are not ending up in hospitals with a meager 3% infected persons currently hospitalized while around 97% of the patients are being managed without hospitalization”, Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra said after reviewing the prevailing pandemic situation yesterday.

While the State accounts for 16,117 active cases to date, as many as 15,640 patients of them are being treated in home isolation. Only 640 patients have so far ended up in hospitals with the health condition of the majority of them being stable.

They are being managed by the rapid response team members constituted in each district and Urban Local Bodies. They have not needed hospitalization. The present trend shows that around 97% of the patients can be managed without actual hospitalization.

Till the latest reports received today, around 3% of the available beds, 11% of the ICUs, and 3% of the ventilators are being used. The load on hospitals is minimal, he said.

Chief Secretary Mahapatra directed the authorities in the district level and urban local bodies to insulate the doctors, nurses, and health workers for covid duty with booster dose on priority.

The top official also directed that all covid hospitals and covid care centers to put in place a help desk system for communication with family members and relatives of the patients.

Emphasizing empathetic treatment to the patients, the Chief Secretary directed that no patient should feel neglected in hospitals. All should be attended to with much care and love.  The family members also should be communicated about the condition of the patients regularly.

 “All facilities and provisions put in place for combating the second wave are being reactivated to the available capacity. The district Collectors have been directed to recruit the retired doctors and nurses locally as per the requirement.

The Chief District Medical Officers and Public Health officers have also been asked to go ahead with booster dose vaccination with the already available vaccines in all districts”, Additional Chief Secretary Health and family welfare Raj Kumar Sharma said while taking part in the review meeting.