The district health department has initiated the process of increasing beds at Covid wards on a war-footing as the positive cases continue to rise in the steel city.

At present, there are 650 beds in Covid wards at all hospitals, the highest being 450 at Tata Main Hospital.

The authorities are trying to set up 500 more beds at both the government as well as private hospitals.

"We are going to increase the number of beds in all the hospitals with support of the management of the hospitals concerned. Beside ensuring an increase in the beds at the hospitals having Covid wards, we are also trying to get Covid wards introduced in the few more hospitals, "said A.K. Lal, district civil surgeon, to The Telegraph Online.

In the past 24 hours, 692 positive cases were detected out of 4,567 samples tested both under RT-PCR and Rapid Antigen Test.

During this period, six persons, including two women died, taking the total number of deaths in the city to 430.

The health department on Sunday launched a massive Covid test drive in the public places, especially focusing on Kadma and Sonari areas of the city from where the highest number of cases are being reported.

Covid tests were conducted at vegetable markets and streets besides the health hubs.