Ensure adequate buffer stock of medical oxygen: Centre to states

All the states have been asked to ensure on boarding of all healthcare facilities utilising oxygen to ODAS digital platform, directly or through State API's

The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday asked the states to ensure a buffer stock of oxygen for 48 hours in every health facility offering in-patient care as India keeps on adding more than 100,000 new Covid-19 cases in every seven days along with a slow but steady rise in Covid hospitalisation.

The hospitals have also been asked to keep the liquid medical oxygen tanks filled up and make arrangements for their uninterrupted supply and refilling, whereas the facilities having PSA plants are to check whether such plants installed in are functional and producing oxygen.

The oxygen alert from the Centre comes at a time when a new modeling study suggests that the third wave of Covid-19 epidemic in India would peak between January 20 and February 10 when the number of fresh cases would vary between six lakhs and nine lakhs daily.

Also Read: Global Covid-19 caseload tops 313.3 million

Scientists at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru and Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata also predict a nationwide requirement of 8,000-24,000 ICU beds during the peak period.

The scientists, however, clarified that the predictions were based on certain assumptions and any change in those conditions would alter the figures.

But anticipating a rise in the number of hospitalisations due to the Covid-19, the ministry asked the states to be ready with oxygen and medical supplies.

The ministry also suggested reviving the oxygen control rooms for prompt resolution of oxygen related issues as a surge in cases in most of the states and big cities, and rising test positivity rate has emerged as areas of concerns.

Also Read: Covid-19 vaccines 'may need to be updated' for Omicron, says WHO

According to the Union Health Ministry, the weekly positivity rate rose to over 11 per cent from just about 1 per cent on December 30. Even more worryingly, the positivity rate shot up to more than 60 per cent in Kolkata, 31 per cent in Thane and 27 per cent in Mumbai.

Maharashtra, West Bengal, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat are the states witnessing a Covid surge.

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