Bengaluru : A 100-bed facility will be set up at Bowring hospital for treating Mucormycosis cases. Revenue Minister R Ashoka who paid a visit to the Bowring hospital and also interacted with the patients via video on Monday said, “We have set up a 200-bed facility for the treatment of black fungus. While 100-beds in Victoria hospital will be allotted for patients who are still Covid positive, the 100-beds in Bowring will treat those patients who are Covid negative. There is a need to increase the bed capacity considering the fact that there is an alarming rise of black fungus cases in Maharashtra and Gujarat.”

Centre requested for vials

“As vice-chairman of Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority, I have already written to Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers Mr DV Sadananda Gowda to allocate the required number of vials of Liposomal Amphotericin B for treatment of black fungus (Mucormycosis). The requirement of the said drug for each patient is approximately 70 vials, which may extend upto 360 vials. At this rate, the current requirement of Liposomal Amphotericin B Injection could be approximately 9,800 vials per week (which may also increase)”. Hence, I have spoken to Mr Gowda for more medicines, Mr Ashoka said.

Children’s Hospitals

Mr Ashoka said that following reports that kids may be affected in the Covid third wave, efforts were made to set up a children’s hospital. “In Padmanabhanagar constituency, we have already taken steps to set up a children’s hospital where even the affected kids can stay with the protection of the parents. I have instructed BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta to make such arrangements in Bengaluru city”, Mr Ashoka said, adding that the Covid cases in the State were decreasing due to timely lockdown. “Currently, the cases are around 7,000 in Bengaluru which may come down to 2,000 in around 10 days but. We need to be alert till the Covid cases are completely under control.”