No hospital should deny admission to Covid-19 patients: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Wednesday said no hospital should deny admission to Covid-19 patients regardless of whether or not they have symptoms.

He said this during a meeting with ministers and officials in charge of Bengaluru’s Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Dasarahalli, Bommanahalli and Mahadevapura municipal zones to take stock of the Covid-19 situation. The meeting coincided with the first day of Bengaluru coming out of the 7-day lockdown.

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“It has been directed that hospitals should first admit Covid-19 patients and administer primary healthcare. Later on, depending on the status of the infection, a decision can be made,” Yediyurappa said, according to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office.

Asymptomatic patients without other ailments should be admitted to hospitals lest it leads to crowding. “The beds available in hospitals must be made available to those who need treatment,” he said. The priority should be to save lives by ensuring treatment to patients whose infection is serious in nature.

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“It must be ensured that only trained doctors provide treatment to serious Covid-19 patients. This way, the number of deaths can be reduced,” Yediyurappa said. The CM also asked the ministers and officials to prioritise testing. “Do more tests and give results within 24 hours,” he said. The CMO said Yediyurappa had fixed targets and officials face action if they are not met.