Bengaluru civic body mandates hospitals to conduct Covid-19 test of patients with SARI, influenza-like illness

Issuing the orders, Special Commissioner Dr Trilok Chandra directed hospitals to ensure that all visitors are inoculated

The Bengaluru civic agency has made Covid-19 tests mandatory in private hospitals for patients complaining of severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) or influenza-like illness (ILI).

"All the SARI, ILI patients coming to OPD in private hospitals in BBMP limits should be tested for Covid-19 compulsorily and other patients also could be advised to undergo the same if needed," the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike quoted Special Commissioner Dr Trilok Chandra, in a statement.

Addressing a meeting with the Private Hospitals And Nursing home Association (PHANA) and more than 100 private hospitals, he said that precautionary measures should be taken to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the city.

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The officer asked the hospitals to ensure that everyone visiting the hospital are inoculated. If a visitor has taken only the first dose of the vaccine, the hospitals should ensure the administration of the second dose.

Dr Chandra assured the representatives of PHANA that the Covid-19 cases in the city were stable.

However, as a precautionary measure, the private hospitals were asked to be ready to reserve beds for Covid-19 patients, including a separate paediatric ward. He also insisted that real-time information on bed availability be uploaded to the PHANA portal.

All necessary measures should be taken to ensure proper availability of oxygen, he told the representatives of PHANA.

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