Gurugram, Sept. 23 -- Patients at Civil Hospital, Sector 10A, are being forced to share beds in the emergency ward due to a shortage following a spike in viral and conjunctivitis cases, families and officials said on Monday. According to officials, the lack of beds is compelling two to three patients, with symptoms such as diarrhoea and high fever, to share the same bed simultaneously, raising concerns about the risk of reinfection. The surge is being attributed to seasonal factors. Dr Lokveer Singh, primary medical officer (PMO) at the Civil Hospital, said the situation was "under control", while acknowledging the shortage of beds. "With the rainy season and further waterlogging, many areas are filled with contaminated water, creating unhygienic conditions. The hike viral infections and flu cases are straining the existing infrastructure," Singh said. "We're aware of the problem due to seasonal spikes. Currently, a proposal is being formulated to set up a dedicated block with 100 additional beds," Singh added. Official data showed 352 cases of diarrhoea-induced fever were reported in the last three days, since Friday, marking a considerable rise in contrast to the hospital's capacity. The outpatient department (OPD) also recorded a 10-20% increase in patients reporting flu and diarrhoea during the same period. On a regular day, the hospital serves around 200 inpatients and nearly 3,000 outpatients. The hospital's emergency ward has a current capacity of 24-30 beds, which fluctuates based on urgency, Singh said. "We are working on ensuring that every patient receives the best treatment. "I've made recommendations to the Health Department at the government level to increase the number of beds," he noted. Singh added that the hospital's overall capacity was increased to 200 beds in the past two years, with the addition of 100 new beds. However, a proposal to add another 100 beds has been stuck since 2017 due to land allocation issues, as the current building has exhausted its Floor Area Ratio (FAR). Meanwhile, patients said admission itself was a challenge. "We have to wait in a long queue before the doctor finally conducts a check-up, and getting admitted to a shared bed after that is difficult to bear," said Indu Devi, a resident of Naharpur near Anaj Mandi. Her six-year-old daughter, suffering from a high fever, had to share a tiny stretcher bed with another three-year-old, raising fears of cross-infection. "My daughter just cannot eat anything, and the hospital staff here is too busy to attend to us separately, let alone provide a root cause of her illness," she added, hoping for a timely blood test report. The father of another child expressed frustration. "We expect basic healthcare facilities from the government, and those too are missing. We have nowhere to go," he said, requesting anonymity....