As cases rise, Covid hospitalisations increase in Delhi: Govt data
HT has reported that the Delhi government plans to add about 5,000 more dedicated beds to be able to handle up to 12,000 daily cases of Covid-19.
The occupancy of beds assigned for the patients of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the national capital is increasing, with 264 beds occupied in the past 24 hours in various Covid-19 hospitals in the city.
The number of patients put on ventilator also went up, with 14 more ventilator beds having been occupied on Sunday, shows the Delhi government’s data.
“In our hospital, at least the beds are in great demand; and if some patient needs it (a bed) urgently, then it might not be possible to get it,” said Dr Neeraj Jain, head, department of respiratory medicine, Ganga Ram Hospital.
On Friday, 6,126 beds and 774 ventilators were occupied as compared to 6,000 beds and 765 ventilators occupied on Thursday. On Saturday, a total of 6,195 Covid beds and 783 ventilator beds were occupied. According to the government data cited above, the counts on Sunday stood at 6,459 and 797, respectively.
HT has reported that the Delhi government plans to add about 5,000 more dedicated beds to be able to handle up to 12,000 daily cases of Covid-19.
For four days in a row till Friday, new Covid-19 cases in Delhi set single-day records, with a rising positivity rate indicating that the Capital is possibly entering the third and worst wave yet of the outbreak. On Saturday, Delhi reported 5,062 new Covid-19 cases and the positivity rate jumped to 11.42%.
Doctors fear the situation is only going to get worse in coming weeks, with the demand of hospital beds likely to increase.
“It is that time of the year when we anyway start seeing an increased patient load of other respiratory illnesses such as aggravated asthma, secondary bacterial lung infections etc. because of the drop in temperature and air pollution, and this year there is also Covid to deal with,” said Dr Rajesh Chawla, senior consultant, pulmonary medicine department, Apollo Hospital.
However, the silver lining being that India is losing fewer patients to the viral disease, with country’s Covid-19 case fatality rate (CFR), the proportion of people who die of a disease among total number of patients diagnosed with the disease, having dropped below 1.5%. The death rate is on a decline, shows central government data.
“We are managing serious cases in a far better way now that we know what therapies work. Steroids, and anticoagulants (blood thinners), for example, work really well. Not all serious patients need to be put on a ventilator as was being done earlier but oxygen therapy given in a proper way is good enough,” said Dr GC Khilnani, former head, pulmonary medicine department, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi.
