Mumbai hospitals reopen covid wards as pandemic grips the city again

Hospitals across Mumbai are reopening their Covid-19 wards and creating new ICU beds in anticipation of the resurgence of cases that has gripped the city. Data from the BMC showed the city has over 20,000 beds available to take care of the mild patients. Of the total 1,534 oxygen and ventilator beds, 944 are occupied while there are 8,022 hospital beds that the BMC shows is available.

“We have started calling back our staff who had gone on vacation as we look at create additional space in our hospital for severe patients,” said Sujit Chatterjee, CEO of Hiranandani Hospital. The 250-bed hospital has 16 ICU beds and is now looking to convert some of its cath labs into ICU facilities.

Gautam Khanna, CEO of Hinduja Hospital, said that in general the Covid ward of the hospital, running with 30% occupancy in early February, is inching up to full capacity.