Patients killed in fire at COVID care facility in Vijayawada

Patients killed in fire at COVID care facility in Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh).

As many Nine patients were killed in a fire accident at a hotel which was converted as COVID-19 care facility here, Krishna district Collector MD Imtiaz said on Sunday. "We have recovered seven bodies. The hotel was taken by a private hospital to treat COVID-19 patients. The fire broke out in the early hours. Rescue operations are on," the official said. 

Vijayawada police Commissioner B Srinivasulu told P T I that they have shifted about 20 patients to various hospitals. There were 30 patients undergoing treatment at the facility and 10 hospital staff. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed shock over the incident.

This the second fire incident at a COVID-19 facility in the country this month. On Thursday, eight coronavirus patients died in a huge fire that broke out in the intensive care ward of a private hospital in Gujarat's Ahmedabad.

"Around 5.09 am control room received a call regarding the fire accident following which police and fire personnel immediately rushed to the spot. By 5.45 am fire was doused off," B Srinivasulu, Police Commissioner said. Around 30 COVID patients and 10 hospital staff were inside the hotel at the time of accident, he said.

 Andhra Pradesh reported 10,080 fresh infections or the fourth straight day on Saturday, taking the overall tally to 2,17,040. The southern state has 85,486 active cases after 1,29,615 coronavirus positive persons got cured, including 9,151 in the last 24 hours, and 1,939 Covid-19-related deaths, according state health officials.