34-year-old among five dead; SMCH's ICU almost full, 110 beds added in Chutodudhpatil Model Hospital

As the experts have stated and Barak Bulletin has reported, the COVID situation is about to reach its peak in the next 15 days. The Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) which has been adding resources in its COVID Care has started to get chocked.

Currently, there are 211 patients under treatment at SMCH which is only admitting symptomatic patients. 95 patients are in the COVID ICU. This is by far the highest number of patients in the ICU at SMCH. In fact, before the outbreak of COVID 19 last year, SMCH had 29 ICU beds. 40 ICU beds were inaugurated by the former health minister of Assam and the current chief minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma in September 2020. 60 more ICU beds got added and are operational since May 6, 2021. While the number of ICU beds has leapfrogged from 29 to 129, with 85 patients in the COVID ICU, it seems nothing compared to the need.

Vice-principal of SMCH, Dr. Bhaskar Gupta informed that 16 patients are under ventilator and 117 are on Oxygen support. 15 patients took admission to SMCH while 23 got discharged.

Dr. Gupta added that five individuals in the COVID ward have been declared dead in the last 24 hours. Rathi Dhar Nandi, a 55-year-old resident of Mona Village in Karimganj district was admitted to SMCH on May 14. Dhar died the same day after testing positive.

Deepak Seal, a 34-year-old resident of Durga Nagar Part V, Cachar was admitted to the hospital on May 8. Seal was declared dead on May 14 at 10:30 pm. While Seal was only 34-year-old, sources in the COVID ward informed that he was severely diabetic and was suffering from acute kidney illness.

Nilmoni Singh, a 75-year-old Kabuganj Silchar resident took admission on May 12. He was declared dead at 5:20 pm today. Ajit Kumar, 82-year-old resident of Rangirkhari Silchar was admitted on May 9, and on May 15 at 10:25 am he was declared dead. Utpal Banerjee of Silchar was admitted on May 10 and the 65-year-old was declared dead at 5:30 pm on Saturday.

Deputy Commissioner of Cachar, Keerthi Jalli, has visited M. G. Model Hospital, Chotodudhpatil along with Sumit Sattawan, ADC, to oversee the preparedness of the COVID Care Centre. The district’s media expert, Suman Choudhury informed that 15 oxygen concentrators have been installed there to provide oxygen support to the patients who are mild symptomatic and require minor oxygen support.

It has also been informed that 110 beds are kept ready at MG Model Hospital which can be extended to 150.