Sources from the two leading hospitals in Patna-AIIMS and Patna Medical College and Hospital said that more than 500 doctors and health workers are infected by the coronavirus in the ongoing second wave.

Overall, 384 employees of AIIMS Patna, which included doctors, nurses, safaikaramchari and others are affected by the virus so far, said the Medical Superintendent C M Singh. PMCH Superintendent Dr Indu Sekhar Thakur said that over 125 of their staff are tested positive till now. It includes 70 doctors and more than 55 nurses and other healthcare workers. 

AIIMS and PMCH with another state-run Nalanda Medical College and Hospital are serving to a large number of COVID patients in Patna. PMCH superintendent said that they have arranged a separate isolation space for their infected staff. PMCH has a facility of approximately 105 beds for COVID patients excluding its staff and all of them are occupied presently.

AIIMS Patna also has expanded its bed capacity to 250 due to increase in coronavirus affected patients. The PMCH Superintendent said that as a large number of their staff are infected, they are facing manpower shortage. The leaves of the remaining staff are cancelled and they are trying to manage the functioning of the COVID wards.

The Bihar chapter of Indian Medical Association (IMA) has published a list of almost 40 doctors throughout the state with their phone numbers who are ready to assist the needy patients. Their state president Dr Shahjan and Singh said that IMA doctors are providing treatment on the phone to patients who are in home isolation.

Singh is a surgeon and is also in the list of doctors to help the needy in the current crisis. The IMA Bihar chief said doctors are available on the phone from 10-12 am and 4-6 pm in the evening.

Bihar, too is witnessing the second wave of coronavirus as the rest of the country. According to the health bulletin on Wednesday, a total number of 12,222 people were tested positive, whereas 56 deaths were recorded. The state has a total of 3,54,281 COVID cases and the count of fatalities is 1897. At present, Bihar has 63,745 active cases of coronavirus infection.

Source: mint