Increase COVID-19 treatment facilities at JIPMER Hospital, MP urges Health Minister

Puducherry [India], Aug 13 (ANI): Villupuram MP Ravikumar on Thursday wrote a letter to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan requesting him to increase the COVID-19 treatment facilities at Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) Hospital.
"JIPMER is one of the designated hospitals for treating COVID-19 patients in our country. According to the information provided by the Director, JIPMER, a ward with 250 beds has been specially allocated to treat the COVID 19 patients. JIPMER is giving treatment to patients coming from many districts of Tamil Nadu including Viluppuram. Now the numbers of COVID 19 patients from Puducherry are increasing day by day. So, JIPMER is struggling to meet the needs of the people," Ravikumar stated in the letter.
"I earnestly request you to take immediate steps to increase the capacity of the COVID-19 ward to 1,000 beds. Since JIPMER is functioning as COVID-19 testing centre, the lab facility also needs to be strengthened to test at least 1,000 samples a day," it said.
Puducherry Agriculture Minister R Kamalakannan was admitted to the JIPMER here after testing positive for coronavirus.
A total of 481 new COVID-19 cases, 138 recoveries, and 5 deaths were reported from Puducherry on Wednesday, according to the Union Territory's (UT) Health Department on Wednesday.
The total number of coronavirus cases in Puducherry stood at 6,381, including 2,616 active cases and 3,669 recoveries.
So far, 96 lives have been claimed by the infection in the Union Territory. (ANI)