Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB/MS)

Udupi, May 1: Graduates in Microbiology, who were limited only for lecturer positions before the onset of coronavirus pandemic, are in great demand now. RT-PCR testing labs requires them in large numbers and now there is a scarcity of microbiologists.

For the whole district of Udupi, there is only one qualified microbiologist who works from 9 am till 9 pm without any off day.

The district hospital at Ajjarkad is ready for the treatment of Covid infected people with eight lab technicians, eight data operators and one Group D personnel. This hospital has an isolation ward for Covid infected and suspected patients. As usual there is a separate treatment facility for other patients.

District surgeon Dr Madhusudhan Nayak said, "The district administration has kept 42 hospitals in reserve for Covid related treatment. The number of hospitals can be raised further. There are 1,987 beds, 87 ICU beds and 77 ventilator beds. There is no issue to treat non-Covid patients.

"The district hospital, which faced acute shortage of staff during the first wave of Covid, has more than 40 personnel for the exclusive treatment of Covid patients. This includes a specialist doctor, one anaesthetist, six on duty doctors, 20 staff nurses and 10 Group D workers,” he said.

Everyday 2,000 to 2,500 swab tests are done. In the pooling test method, five samples are tested at a time. This is possible only when the cases are less. The drawback in this method is that, even if one sample turns positive, all the five samples should be tested again. However, in non-pooling methods one sample is tested at a time.