Pune: As Pune struggles to curtail the second wave of COVID-19 infection, at least two to three COVID-19 patients were seen crammed into single beds in Sassoon General Hospital on Friday. The frightening video amid a pandemic has gone viral on social media highlighting the shortage of beds and crumbling health infrastructure in the district.

In visuals from Pune’s Sassoon General Hospital, many beds are seen accommodating two patients instead of one, often lying feet to face, in a packed ward.

Maharashtra is currently the worst-hit state in the country by the deadly coronavirus crisis. As coronavirus cases spike in Pune, the city's civic body is also preparing for a possible shortage of hospital beds and has prepared a plan to add more beds for COVID patients.

BJP State President, Chandrakant Patil has demanded to add more beds to the government hospital. The MLA from Kothrud also demanded that Sassoon General Hospital has the capacity of 1,700 beds however, 500 more beds should be allocated to the hospital. Patil demanded to increase the bed capacity at the meeting chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in Pune on Friday.

DOCTORS WITHDRAW FROM COVID WARD

Over 300 resident doctors at the BJ Medical College attached to Sassoon General Hospital went onto strike from Friday over different demands. Those went on strike have demanded extra healthcare workers in keeping with increased bed capacity here.

Meanwhile, Pune district on Friday reported 10,963 new COVID-19 cases taking the progressive total to 6,96,933 cases. Of the total cases, Pune city (Pune Municipal Corporation) saw 5,373 cases followed by 2,529 cases in Pimpri Chinchwad (Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation). The district on Friday reported 109 deaths taking the total death tally to 11,212.