Bengaluru hospitals gear up for Covid, earmark isolation wards

With the new Covid variant JN.1 spiking in Maharashtra and Kerala, city hospitals are preparing for a possible outbreak. Karnataka has 148 active cases as of Thursday.

Doctors say there is no cause for panic. They believe cases won’t surge like they did between 2020 and 2022.

Dr Deepak S, medical superintendent at Victoria Hospital, City Market, says its isolation ward has 40 beds, 10 ICU beds, N95 masks, and PPE kits. “In case of a surge, we can increase our beds within days as we have multiple blocks with hundreds of beds. We have treated around 16,000 patients in the last three Covid waves,” he says. Oxygen concentrators and generators are also in place.

At Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital, Shivajinagar, the isolation section has 30 ICU beds, ready for use in case of an outbreak. T Kemparaju, medical superintendent, says: “If the cases rise, two floors of our hospital can be dedicated to Covid treatment. All our beds are equipped with oxygen supply, and we also have oxygen plant on our campus.”

Dr Sheela Chakravarthy, director, internal medicine, Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, says the hospital hasn’t seen any positive cases yet. “However, we are conducting Covid testing for patients with breathing difficulties and a history of low oxygen levels,” she says. The hospital has kept six ICU beds on standby for Covid emergencies.

At Ramaiah Hospitals, Mathikere, a section has been converted into an isolation ward. Dr Deepak T S, head of critical care, says: “A separate ICU has also been designated for Covid cases.” Extensive oxygen tanks, which can support over 500 beds, are fully functional, he adds.

Dr Nidhin Mohan, consultant, internal medicine, Narayana Health City, Bommasandra, feels that cases might not increase alarmingly since the herd immunity is better now. “We have around 15 isolation beds. In case of an emergency, a hospital wing containing 100 to 200 beds can be converted into an isolation section,” he says.

The hospital will be “admitting only critically ill patients and advising others to isolate at home,” Mohan adds.

Hiring nurses

At SVM Hospital, Marathahalli, two Covid wards (one each for men and women) with separate entrances are ready with 10 beds each. Dr Chandil Gunashekar, CEO, says: “We will hire a few more nurses.” Five beds have been added to the ICU as well. “We are also going to commission an oxygen generator and have increased our cylinder count from 40 to 100,” he says.

Fever clinic

Dr Divya K S, consultant infectious disease specialist at Apollo Hospitals, Seshadripuram, says, “The hospital has heightened testing for all cases with respiratory symptoms. Isolation rooms are ready if the need arises, and a separate fever clinic for these patients will be created if the cases increase.”

Q&A for docs

Dr Subramanian Swaminathan, director, infectious diseases, Gleneagles Hospitals, Kengeri, says the hospital has sensitised the staff. “We have created a Q&A paper for circulation among doctors, addressing various aspects of handling Covid,” he says.