Indian Railways Convert 2500 Train Coaches Into Isolation Wards Amid Coronavirus Outbreak, 4000 Patients Can be Admitted (See Pictures)
As many as 2500 train coaches have been turned into isolation wards to tackle the situation arising out of the coronavirus outbreak in India, said the Ministry of Railways.
New Delhi, April 6: As many as 2500 train coaches have been turned into isolation wards to tackle the situation arising out of the coronavirus outbreak in India, said the Ministry of Railways on Monday. In these 2500 isolation wards prepared in train coaches, 4000 coronavirus patients can be admitted. According to the Ministry of Railways, an average of 375 coaches are being converted into isolation wards in a day. Coronavirus Outbreak Live News Updates on April 6.
"In times of lockdown, when manpower resources are limited and have to be rationalised and rotated, different zones of Railways have almost done an impossible task of so many conversions in such a small span of time," read a statement released by the ministry. "The work is being carried out at 133 locations in the country," it added. In another tweet, the ministry said it has expedited conversion of coaches into isolation wards. Coronavirus Death Toll in India Tops 100 With 109 People Dead, COVID-19 Cases in The Country Cross 4000.
Each coach can house 10 patients in separate bays. These coaches, the ministry said, are equipped as per medical advisories issued. To make the patient cabin, the middle berth is removed from one side, while all three berths removed in front of patient berth. All ladders for climbing up the berths have been removed. The bathrooms, aisle areas and other areas are also modified to prepare isolation coaches.
Train Coaches Turned Into Isolation Wards:
The responsibility to convert coaches into isolation wards to the Rail Coach Factory (RCF) in Kapurthala. Only non-AC coaches will be turned into isolation wards. The Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, which made India’s first electric train Vande Bharat Express, has been tasked with the duty of manufacturing ventilators.
According to government data accessed by The Hindu, the country only has 37,618 isolation beds, 9,512 ICU beds and 8,432 ventilators as on March 24. As on date, the central and state governments collectively do not have more than 60,000 quarantine beds.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 06, 2020 05:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).