Coronavirus in India: Govt asks public, private hospitals to set aside beds as cases rise

NEW DELHI: The Centre issued an advisory on Friday to all hospitals and medical education institutions — both public and private — asking them to set aside beds, prepare isolation facilities, procure sufficient numbers of ventilators, high-flow oxygen mass and mobilise additional manpower to step up combat readiness to take on Covid-19. The measures come as cases continue to rise, though they are still not a surge or a spike, and reflect the government’s assessment that the healthcare system needs to be ready for a contingency of a large number of patients. Though there is no community spread yet, medical facilities are being prepped for such a scenario and to also ensure a more even...