RIMS Ranchi ready to tackle any COVID-19 surge

Ranchi: Amid a recent surge in COVID-19 cases in India and other parts of Asia, the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi, with a total of 150 ICU beds, is ready to provide treatment to infected patients in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak in the state. Currently, no COVID-19 cases have been reported in Jharkhand.

The director of the institute has confirmed that the support system and infrastructure used during the previous outbreak are already in place. This includes adequate testing facilities, isolation wards, oxygen cylinders, and ventilators to provide medical assistance to COVID-19 patients.

"We will activate those the moment the state records a single COVID case. Even if the cases start to appear, it will not spike all of a sudden, and RIMS is equipped to manage the cases. The hospital has a total of about 150 ICUs in all departments," said Dr Raj Kumar, RIMS director.

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Apart from preparing for the sudden COVID-19 outbreak in the state, the director also appealed to the public not to panic over the resurgence of cases and follow hygiene measures like they did during the previous waves as a precautionary measure.

Speaking to TOI, he said, "When Covid remerges, it introduces itself as an aggressive variant. People with comorbid conditions, such as respiratory tract infections, heart and kidney ailments, chronic diseases and older individuals are vulnerable to the virus. So, they must take precautionary measures if the cases start to increase even at a slow pace in the coming days."

Meanwhile, State Joint Secretary (Health) Bidyanand Pankaj assured that the health department is fully prepared to handle any potential surge in COVID-19 cases. He further stated that district hospitals across Jharkhand are equipped with the necessary support systems and infrastructure to effectively manage any increase in cases.

"We are all set to deal with any cases. However, we have not yet started screening procedures at transit points like railway stations, airports and bus stands as we are awaiting official guidelines from the govt," Pankaj said, stressing that the government doesn't want anyone to panic.

Medical Dialogues recently reported that India has witnessed a slight uptick in COVID-19 cases over the past few days, with the Union Health Ministry updating its official dashboard to reflect 257 active cases across the country. The uptick comes amid a broader regional resurgence in parts of Asia, including Hong Kong and Singapore.

Mumbai has emerged as a focal point in Maharashtra’s recent case spike, with 95 new Covid-19 infections reported in May alone — a sharp increase given the state’s total of 106 cases since January, according to the Maharashtra health department. Sixteen patients have been hospitalised, with several transferred from KEM Hospital to Seven Hills Hospital to prevent further transmission.

In Tamil Nadu, 12 new COVID-19 cases have been detected in Puducherry, while Chennai doctors are witnessing a notable shift in the nature of viral infections. What was previously presumed to be seasonal influenza is increasingly turning out to be COVID-19. Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao confirmed that Karnataka is currently managing 16 active COVID-19 cases. Meanwhile, Gujarat reported seven new infections in Ahmedabad in a single day — a sharp rise for a city that has averaged just one case per month over the past year.

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