Ludhiana: With the surge in Covid-19 cases, the number of patients on ventilators in Ludhiana hospitals is the highest since mid-October last.
As per the local health department data, the number of patients on ventilators in Ludhiana hospitals is 22. Of them, 12 are Ludhiana residents and the remaining are from other districts / states. There are 147 ventilators, including four of the government at Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH), in the district.
An analysis of the data since September 25 last—when the department started providing a break-up of cases on respirators—shows that on the day, there were 41 patients, including 21 Ludhianvis, on ventilators. At the time, the number of respirators was the same as is now.
On September 26, the figure was the same, but it comprised 23 cases from Ludhiana. By October 2 last, there were 32 patients, including 19 of the district, on ventilators.
By October 15, the number was 15, of which eight were of Ludhiana. On October 31 last, 10 patients, including four from the district, were on respirators. On November 3, of 13 patients on ventilators, eight were of Ludhiana. By November 13, the number increased to 13, of which seven were of Ludhiana. On November 30, there were eight patients on the machine, of which two were of the district.
On December 1 last, seven patients, including two of the industrial hub, were on ventilators. On January 1, the figure was three, including one out of district case. In February as well, the number was mostly below 10. However, this month, the count has increased from five on March 1 to the present value.
The health department officials said people should act more responsibly and report early.
An official of the department said, “With patients coming late for treatment, more cases are on ventilators. People should get themselves tested immediately after they notice symptoms. This will help treat them early and avoid their reaching the advanced stage wherein there is a need to put them on ventilators.”
He added that the number of patients on ventilators was less than 15% of the machines available in Ludhiana hospitals. People should follow Covid-19 guidelines of wearing masks, maintaining social distance and hand hygiene to check the infection spread, he said.
“There are more patients on respirators as we are passing through the second wave that has brought surge in cases. Even as cases are more, fatalities are less as compared with the first wave, maybe because the infection is caused by a weaker strain,” said Ludhiana IMA president Dr Saroj Aggarwal.
Civil surgeon Dr Sukhjeevan Kakkar could not be contacted despite repeated calls.
Active cases
Active cases also witnessed an increase recently and were the highest since August-end.
PATIENTS ON RESPIRATORS
Date Active cases Ludhianvis Other dist
March 13 907 12 17
14 1,077 13 17
15 1,170 12 3
16 1,302 12 3
17 1,449 10 6
18 1,549 7 8
19 1,643 5 9
20 1,765 6 9
21 1,946 6 11
22 2,019 5 7
23 2,167 8 6
24 2,280 9 9
25 2,452 8 9
26 2,568 7 9
27 2,776 7 9
28 2,853 6 7
29 2,889 8 8
30 2,848 12 10