COVID-19 care centre in Bengaluru, touted as country's largest, to shut from 15 September due to 'lack of patients'

Bengaluru: The COVID Care Centre at the Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre in the city, that was touted to be the biggest such facility for the treatment of asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients in the country, will be shut from 15 September, as it is not getting patients. In an order dated 4 September, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the city civic body has said the decision to close the facility with a potential capacity of over 10,000 beds was taken at a meeting chaired by the chief minister on the advice of the head of the Covid Care Care Task Force. It has been decided to give the furniture brought for the said centre like- beds, mattress, pedestal fans, dustbins, water dispensers among others to government-run hostels and hospitals at free of cost. The Social Welfare Department will get 2,500 furniture for its hostels, while the horticulture university hostel at Bagalkote, Minority Welfare Department hostel and the GKVK, Bengaluru will get 1,000 each. The remaining furniture will be given to government hospitals and hostels based on request, it added. Following the government’s decision to allow home isolation of asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic COVID-19 cases, there has been a drastic fall in people getting admitted to the centre, official sources said. Earlier, the centre had its share of controversy too. Following the widespread criticism and allegations of corruption against its decision to rent beds and furniture needed for the centre at a higher cost, the government had subsequently decided to purchase it.