Coronavirus: Short circuit disrupts oxygen supply in Bengaluru hospital, COVID-19 patients shifted
Of the 17 COVID-19 patients shifted out, 13 were on oxygen support at the CV Raman Nagar government hospital
FollowBengaluru: As many as 17 coronavirus patients were shifted overnight from the CV Raman Nagar government hospital to other medical facilities after a short circuit disrupted oxygen supply. The incident took place on the intervening night of August 14 and 15. All patients who were shifted are doing well, said CV Raman Hospital Superintendent Radhakrishna.
"There was a short circuit in the oxygen control panel, because of which oxygen supply to the patients was disrupted," Radhakrishna told IANS. The control panel is required to maintain oxygen supply pressure and other crucial parameters of a patient put on oxygen support.
"Though the oxygen supply could have been continued, we did not want to take any risk. We then supplied oxygen to patients directly from cylinders," he said.
"The disruption took place around 9 pm on Friday. Patients were shifted by 12.30 am on Saturday," said Radhakrishna.
"Whatever disruption occurred has since been fixed. The oxygen supply is back to normal," he said.
It was learnt that 11 patients were put on high-flow oxygen therapy, of which seven to eight patients were taking in very less amount of oxygen while three were dependent on the system.
Following this development, senior health officials decided to make alternative arrangements for these patients at facilities where high-flow oxygen beds were available.
Most of the patients were shifted to Victoria Hospital, and one patient each to Vydehi and Fortis hospitals.
Though only 13 patients were on oxygen support, 17 were shifted out as some were related to each other.
Incidentally, on Saturday Karnataka reported the biggest single-day spike of over 8,800 new cases of COVID-19 and 114 related fatalities. Even the capital Bengaluru saw its single-day increase to peak at 3,495.
According to state War Room data, more than 80% of the patients did not require hospitalisation and are asymptomatic.
