Is India prepared for a new Covid-19 wave? A look at stock of oxygen plants, ventilators, ICU beds

New Delhi: With Covid-19 wrecking havoc in China and some other countries, people are worried about another coronavirus wave in India. The Narendra Modi-led government has already sounded an alert and has asked states and Union territories to prepare for any eventuality. Amid a surge in infections, the Centre has also made random Covid-19 testing mandatory for two per cent of passengers arriving on each international flight from Saturday. Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Health Minister Mandaviya also held meetings to assess the country's preparedness to deal with a fresh surge in cases. 

Mock drills were also held at health facilities across India on Tuesday (December 27) to check operational readiness to deal with any spurt in cases, with Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya saying that the country has to remain alert as India might witness a spike in cases too.

Covid-19 scare: India has over 11,000 functional oxygen plants 

According to officials, more than 11,000 oxygen plants are currently functional and nearly 2.8 lakh isolation beds are available in over 20,000 health facilities across India where mock drills were conducted on Tuesday.

20,021 facilities, including 15,424 government ones, conducted the exercise across 37 states and UTs.

कोविड से सतर्क रहने हेतु प्रधानमंत्री @NarendraModi जी के आदेश अनुसार, पुरे देशभर में आज कोविड अस्पतालों में mock drill की जा रही है।

मैंने सफदरजंग अस्पताल में कोविड रिस्पॉन्स मॉक ड्रिल की समीक्षा की। pic.twitter.com/DQ3Efas9YD — Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) December 27, 2022

Of the total 3,37,710 isolation beds across these facilities, 2,79,202 are functional. 

Covid-19 fourth wave threat: Over 70,000 ICU beds, 57,000 ICU-cum-ventilator beds are ready

Out of the total 2,82,229 oxygen supported-Covid beds, 2,45,894 are operational. Besides, of the 70,073 ICU beds and 57,286 ICU-cum-ventilator beds, 64,711 and 49,236 are functional, respectively.

During the drill, it was also found that 88 per cent of the 70,996 ventilators across 20,021 facilities are functional. 

93 per cent of 12,656 Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) plants, 94 per cent of 6,63,547 oxygen cylinders and 96 per cent of 2,37,003 oxygen concentrators are also functional.

आज LNJP अस्पताल में COVID की तैयारियो का जायजा लिया। अस्पताल में 2000 मे से 450 बेड्स COVID के लिए आरक्षित किए गए है।जरूरत पड़ने पर पिछली बार की तरह इनकी संख्या बढ़ाई जा सकती है।

पिछली बार कोरोना के दौरान इस अस्पताल में 25,000+ कोरोना संक्रमितों का इलाज किया गया। pic.twitter.com/mQkIGMdgcU — Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) December 27, 2022

11,681 basic life support ambulances and 3,723 advanced-life support ambulances are also available.

Official sources further said 10,515 facilities have telemedicine services while there are 9,144 ambulance cell centers.

Coronavirus threat: India has a stock of 7,13,785 remdesivir drugs

Among drugs, these facilities have a stock of 7,13,785 remdesivir. 

These health facilities also have a stock of 76,581 tocilizumab, 8,41,85,669 doxycyclin, 8,42,90, 682 Azithromycin and 2,46 27,157 dexamethasone.

Next 40 days 'crucial', India may see surge in coronavirus cases in January

The next 40 days will be crucial as India may see a Covid-19 surge in January, news agency PTI reported on Wednesday (December 28, 2022) citing official sources. However, even if there is a new coronavirus wave, deaths and hospitalisation will be very low, PTI reported. 

"Previously, it has been noticed that a new wave of COVID-19 hits India around 30-35 days after it hits East Asia... This has been a trend," PTI quoted an official as saying.

ALSO READ | 'Allow 2nd booster dose': IMA doctors urge Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya

The situation in India -- where a large number of people have been exposed to the virus and also been vaccinated -- is quite different from that in China. 

According to health experts, the likelihood of a new big Covid-19 wave in India is very low.

It is notable that the latest spike in cases is being driven by Omicron sub-variant BF.7.

As per media reports, the transmissibility of this BF.7 sub-variant is very high and a person infected with the sub-variant can further infect 16 persons.

India currently has 3,468 active Covid-19 cases

India recorded 188 new coronavirus infections, while the active Covid-19 caseload jumped to 3,468, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.

An increase of 47 cases was recorded in the active Covid-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

India's Covid case tally has now increased to 4,46,77,647, while the death toll stands at 5,30,696, the data updated at 8 am stated.