Since the inception of second wave of Covid 19, Rayagada has witnessed the highest-ever surge of 310 positive cases on Friday. Rayagada urban recorded 72 cases, rural (69), Gudari (59) and Muniguda recorded 57 cases.
During the first wave of Corona in 2020, a Dedicated Covid HealthCentre (DCHC) was established in the premises of ESI Hospital at JKPur. There was no Covid Hospital in Rayagada.
But by end of 2020, 110 beds got ready including eight Intensive CareUnits (ICUs), four High Dependency Units (HDUs) and four ventilators.Though still the DCHC at JK Pur has not been reflected in OdishaGovernment’s health portal, CDM and PHO Dr Artabandhu Nayak said that the same is a Dedicated Covid Hospital (DCH) as there is provision of ICUs, HDUs and ventilators.
The only Government Covid hospital is not able to accommodateincreasing number of cases. So, many Covid-19 patients are moving toneighbouring AP or Bhubaneswar/Cuttack, etc and facing lots ofdifficulties. Though there are several advanced medical equipmentsdumped at the hospital, most of them are not used due to lack oftrained technicians. The deaths have highly increased. During the lastmonth of May, the number of deceased persons has crossed the number of the first surge, said senior scribe and secretary of Media Cares,Rayagada Ranjan Rath.
He said, “While industries like Tatas in Gopalpur and Duburi(Jajpur),Jindal in Angul and Rourkela Steel Plant in Sundargarh haveestablished Covid Hospitals as Centres of Excellence, we have writtento Utkal Alumina of Birla, which has established a world-class bauxite refinery in Kashipur, to establish another Covid Hospital in Rayagadain partnership with Government of Odisha.”
Meanwhile, the district Collector has inaugurated a 50-bedCCC established by the Utkal Alumina at Oshapada.