Train Coaches Turned Into Isolation Wards by Indian Railways as COVID-19 Cases Continue to Rise; See Pics
The Indian Railways has started using train coaches for making isolation wards as coronavirus cases continued to rise in the country.
New Delhi, March 28: The Indian Railways has started using train coaches for making isolation wards as coronavirus cases continued to rise in the country. Train coaches have been modified to prepare temporary isolation wards in case of emergency. News agency ANI on Saturday shared pictures of temporary isolation wards prepares using train coaches. The number of coronavirus cases has crossed 800 in India. Coronavirus Outbreak Live News Updates on March 28.
To make the patient cabin, the middle berth was 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 were also modified to prepare isolation coaches. 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. Coronavirus Outbreak in India: COVID-19 Cases Rise to 873, ICMR Working to Develop Local Testing Kits.
It is yet to be finalised how many patients will be accommodated in such railway coach-cum-isolation ward. It will be decided based on factors such as distance, hygiene, necessary equipment to monitor health, and most importantly, exclusive bathroom usage, said an earlier report. 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. Earlier today, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said the number of coronavirus cases has jumped to 873 in India after 149 people tested positive in the last 24 hours.
The death toll stands at 19. Five death were reported in Maharashtra and three from Gujarat. Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh recorded two deaths each. Bihar, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir. Punjab, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal saw one death each.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 28, 2020 12:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).