With the number of infection cases increase, the demand for ICU and ventilator is growing. Now, 652 are admitted to the ICU and 201 are receiving treatment with ventilator support.

Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), 1,406 ICU beds and 566 ventilators are available in the country. The latest MOHP data show that youths falling in 20-29 and 30-39 age groups form the biggest chunk of the coronavirus-infected people.

Professor Dr. Jageshwor Gautam, the spokesperson for the MoHP, said that hospitals can provide beds, ICU and ventilators for needy persons. “Although we are reaching saturation, there is no need to create panickily. Unlike rumors in the regular media and social media, the situation has not gone out of control,” said Professor Dr. Gautam. “The current situation is that the ministry has already directed all the hospitals to admit the serious patient if they land the hospital.” He said that those hospitals which deny admitting the patients will be punished in accordance with the law.

So far as oxygen supply is concerned, the MoHP has already issued a letter to industrialists and other concerned stakeholders to immediately provide the cylinders to COVID-19 hospitals.

He informed that those found violating the government's decision would be punished strictly as per the Infectious Disease Act, 2020. The government has also decided to procure 50,000 oxygen cylinders from abroad. It has already started the process to import 20,000 oxygen cylinders from China.