Bengaluru,  With hospitals overwhelmed by surging Covid cases during the pandemic's second wave, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has decided to set up triage centres in all its 198 civic wards across the city, a top official said on Friday.

"We will soon open triage centres in all the 198 civic wards across the city in addition to 26 such centres functioning presently to check patients with virus symptoms and advise home isolation or admission into Covid care centres or treatment at the stabilisation centres," said BBMP chief commissioner Gaurav Gupta.

Triage is a process of determining priority of patients' treatments by the severity of their condition or likelihood of recovery with and without treatment.

As the epicentre of the pandemic in Karnataka, Bengaluru accounts for over 60 per cent of the state's Covid cases, including active cases and deaths due to the virus.

The triage centres will be equipped with thermal scanners, pulse oximeters and medicines for treating asymptomatic patients.

"Our nodal officers will be placed at the triage centres for assisting the doctors, nurses and paramedics for diagnosing patients with Covid symptoms," Gupta said.

A 24x7 helpline has also been set up at the triage centres to guide Covid patients in self-isolation at home or having the virus symptoms.

"A team of doctors will assess the condition of Covid patients through tele-triage and decide if they need to be admitted to a hospital or stay at home for treatment," said the civic body's special commissioner, D. Randeep.

Medical oxygen will also be available at the triage centres for the needy.

"We have deputed three doctors and three nurses at each triage centre for checking and treating Covid patients," said another senior civic official, Rajendra Cholan.

Covid patients recommended for home quarantine will be given isolation kits for recovering early from the virus.