ICU beds: Maharashtra struggles, others fare better as Covid-19 cases rise

At Maharashtra, the epicentre of the second wave of Covid-19 in India, the health infrastructure is facing a fresh challenge as cases multiply

Smriti Jeyur (name changed), a homemaker from Mumbai’s eastern suburbs, tested positive for Covid-19 this week. The 40-year-old had mild symptoms initially, but these escalated as the oxygen saturation in her blood dropped suddenly. Getting admitted to a nearby hospital of her choice seemed impossible and the civic body control room kept suggesting that she find hospitals with available beds. Eventually, Jeyur found accommodation close by in a 50-bed nursing home where she is on oxygen support.

Iqbal Chahal, the commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), said on Sunday that people should set aside their personal preferences for