<span style="color: #222222;">With relentless increase in coronavirus in Mumbai and growing demand of hospital beds, the BMC has decided to convert Jaslok hospital into a Dedicated Covid Hospital. With this the hospital will cater only to Covid patients. BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said that it is observed that many beds in private hospitals are occupied by patients who do not require emergency medical intervention. He said, such patients can be effectively and adequately managed at isolation facilities such as step-down facilities.<br />''<br />''AIR correspondent reports that the BMC said that if such patients are shifted to a step-down facility where minimum medical intervention is required, more number of precious oxygenated/ventilator beds will be available to the patients in need. The BMC said such beds will help initiate treatment on time and reduce the fatality rate.<br />''<br />''The step-down facilities can be set up with active participation of major private hospitals as an integral part of these hospitals. The BMC and major private hospitals will jointly identify closely located 4/5 star hotels and initiate linkage for setting up of step-down facilities with these hotels.<br />''<br />''Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar said patients who have recovered should go to step-down facilities and those in actual need should be provided hospital beds.<br />''<br />''The linked hotel must have an appropriate of 20 rooms. These step-down facilities shall be an extension of private hospitals. The BMC said, at present some 4/5 star hotels have shown willingness to setup step down facilities in linkages with major private hospitals.<br />''<br />''Accordingly, the Bombay Hospital has been linked with Inter-continental hotel and H.N. Reliance foundation hospital has been linked with the Trident hotel at Bandra-Kurla Complex. </span><br />