Udupi: Deputy Commissioner G Jagadeesha directed the officials to ensure that there was no shortage of beds in hospitals.

All private hospitals should furnish details on the availability of beds daily. Steps should be taken to ensure that there was no shortage of ambulances, the DC stressed, while presiding over the expert committee meeting at the DC office.

He said that all private hospitals should reserve beds for treating Covid-19-infected as per the government guidelines. All private establishments, malls, educational institutions and hotels should extend support to district administration in conducting Covid-19 tests. Criminal cases will be booked under the Epidemic Act against those who fail to extend support, he warned.

The experts committee had said that there is a need to increase testing to track Covid-19 infection and provide treatment. Those with cardiac ailment, kidney and cancer patients infected with Covid-19 have lost their lives. Patients with chronic disease should get themselves tested for Covid-19 once in 15 days, to avoid unnecessary complications.

Further, the committee felt, those working in the health sector should take utmost care. Hospitals should impart training to check the spread of infection. Remdesivir should be used cautiously. The officials should ensure that there was no shortage of Covid-19 vaccines, masks, PPE kits and oxygen. Zilla Panchayat CEO Dr Naveen Bhat, Additional DC Sadashiva Prabhu, DHO Dr Sudheer Chandra Sooda, among others, were present.