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Over 90% of the total isolation, oxygen and ICU beds available in 36,592 health facilities across the country are ready for the treatment of Covid-19 patients, according to data shared by the Union Health Ministry after a two-day mock drill conducted on Monday and Tuesday.
The data shows that at present, there are 2.18 lakh isolation beds, 3.04 lakh oxygen beds and 54,040 ICU beds with ventilators that are available.
The data shared also shows that 86.6% of the 11,344 Pressure Swing Adsorption oxygen plants available across the centres were functional. There are 6.85 lakh oxygen cylinders and 2.61 lakh oxygen concentrators that are functional across the facilities.
The mock drill was conducted days after Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya held a meeting with the states to discuss preparedness in view of the rising number of cases.
Covid-19 cases have been increasing across the country, with the daily tally crossing the 7,000-mark on Wednesday. There were 7,830 new cases and 11 fresh deaths in the latest recorded 24-hour period.
Fewer than 1,000 cases were being reported in a week till mid-February when the numbers started increasing slowly, reaching over 3,000 cases a week by mid-March.
The increase in the number of cases comes alongside the spread of a new recombinant sub-variant XBB.1.16. As per data shared by the government last week, XBB.1.16 has been displacing other dominant variants in India, with its share increasing from 21.6% in February to 35.8% in March among the samples sequenced.
No increase in the severity of the infection, hospitalisation or deaths has been seen with the new variant.
The highest number of cases is being recorded in Kerala, Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana.
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