The sudden spike in COVID-19 related death for the past three weeks in Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) hospital and subsequent detection of a major problem in the ventilation system at the ICU of COVID unit on August 7 has raised several questions that compelled the authority to shift the unit.

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According to report, after the death of a youth in COVID unit on August 6 last, the victim's family alleged insufficient oxygen supply and during an inspection of the ventilation system yesterday a major problem in the ventilation system was detected. As many as 36 deaths have been registered in COVID unit by then. Immediately, the entire COVID unit was shifted along with the patients last night. According to the report, as many as 32 deaths had occurred in COVID unit in last 20 days that raised eyebrows in the administration and the Loksabha MP had to intervene to manage the situation. Incidentally, the Chief Minster is the minister for health over a year, but he could not pay due attention to the healthcare system, particularly in the COVID situation.

The report said that till July 18 Tripura has only five COVID deaths and after the spread of the disease, and with the severity of infection most of the patients were put in ventilation and at the same time death toll had also increased manifold. After reviewing the situation, she told media that the government has decided to introduce telemedicine facility in dedicated COVID Treatment Centre to ensure better treatment to the COVID patients and all other deficiency in the system have also been looked into in due course of time.

Using telemedicine facility, senior faculty members and doctors would take care of the COVID patients and suggest appropriate measures, which has come into operation from this morning. Besides, each COVID Treatment Centre and COVID Care Centre will have a dedicated phone by which nodal officers will inform the relatives of the patients about their health conditions in the afternoon and each of them will have a help desk and CCTV coverage to ensure better management of COVID situation. The latest report said Tripura has recorded as many as 6035 COVID positive cases after 147 new cases were detected last night. The active cases have climbed to 1950 while the death toll rose to 37 and a total of 4085 people recovered.