Coimbatore : Steps are being taken to provide Plasma treatment to Covid-19 patients in the government hospitals here, Tamil Nadu Health minister, C Vijaya Baskar said on Tuesday.

Replying to a specific question on the issue, Vijaya Baskar who was here to review the Covid-19 situation, told reporters that the Government is taking steps to provide plasma treatment in the Government hospitals here.

Stating that the successful efforts of Oxford University to find a medicine for the virus will increase confidence among the health sector, he said that a vaccine or drugs to combat Covid-19 should come soon.

Vijay Baskar said that even Siddha system of medicine is also giving effective treatment to patients.

With anti-viral drug Remdesivir showing the ability to save lives of many critical patients, the State government has ordered 60,000 more vials, which would reach soon, he said, adding that other anti-viral drugs such as Tocilizumab will also be made available.

Lauding the efforts of district administration and health department to prevent the spread of the virus, the minister said that 1.69 lakh samples have been tested so far.

Coronavirus is our enemy and not the patients, he said adding that more medical camps will be conducted to identify the infected persons and
it was now possible to test more than 4,000 persons daily in the district.

To a question on increasing numbers of death, the minister attributed it to other diseases than Covid-19.

With the facility of 4,650 beds to treat the patients, steps are being taken to add another 500 beds,he said. Local Administration minister, S P Velumani who was also present,
said that the Government hospitals are providing better treatment than what was being given by the private hospitals.

Earlier, both the ministers reviewed the facility at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital.