95-year-old is Nagpur’s oldest patient to beat Covid-19

Nagpur: A nonagenarian has become probably the oldest patient from Nagpur to recover from Covid-19. The 95-year-old man was admitted at Seven Star Hospital on August 20 in a confused state. He was reportedly having generalised weakness for seven days and was unable to walk since a day before admission.
A 96-year-old and a 94-year-old man, both from Amravati, were so far the oldest patients in Vidarbha to beat Covid. The state’s oldest patient to recover is a 100-year-old woman from Mumbai.
City nonagenarian tested positive for Covid-19 on August 20. He was already under treatment for hypertension and hypothyroidism, as per the hospital doctors. After successful treatment, he was discharged in a stable condition on August 30. The patient was treated as per standard protocol set by the hospital for Covid 19 as per evidence-based medicine, they said.
The hospital has admitted 350 patients since it started dedicated Covid services a month ago. In all, 265 patients have been discharged in stable condition.
The old man was treated by Dr Sadashiv Bhole, chief of Covid team Dr Mohan Nerkar, team of intensivist comprising Dr Ramesh Hassani, Dr Rahul Hivansh, and Dr Avinash Gandhare besides the nursing staff.
Dr Bhole, one of the hospital directors, said the patient recovery should serve as a fine example of benefits of early testing and treatment. “Many get scared when they come know they are Covid positive and are reluctant to get treated. People, especially the elderly, must seek treatment as early as possible followed by good nursing and specialized care,” he said.
The nonagenarian was admitted with fever and lack of taste beside being unable to sit up on his own. “He was sent on wheelchair as walking was not advised due to old age and exhaustion. It was a challenge for our staff that took care of him as they would for their kids. Extreme nursing from basic hygiene to feeding, was provided by the staff and doctors,” Dr Bhole said.
The man didn’t require higher viral drugs and responded to Level I and basic medication.
Dr Bhole said the patient was administered oxygen for the first two days of his admission only. Looking at the old age and necessity of care taker, the man’s family want home-based treatment. “Such patients need active survelliance which is not possible at home,” said Dr Nerkar, who is a physician.