Nearly 80 per cent increase in Covid hospitalisations in two weeks in Pimpri-Chinchwad

In the first two weeks of April, hospitals in Pimpri-Chinchwad have seen nearly an 80 per cent increase in hospitalisations of Covid patients showing serious symptoms.

According to PCMC additional health and medical chief Dr Pavan Salve, in the last two weeks, as many as 5,575 were hospitalised. “On April 1, 3360 patients were hospitalised. This figure has gone up to 5,575, which is nearly 80 per cent. Those with mild symptoms are home isolated while those with severe symptoms are hospitalised,” he said.

YCM Hospital and Medical College dean Dr Rajendra Wable said they are admitting only those showing severe symptoms.

“At YCM hospital, we admit patients whose condition is serious or have severe symptoms. Those with mild symptoms are not admitted. And those with moderate symptoms, but likely to develop severe conditions are also admitted. Also, comorbid patients like those suffering from BP, diabetes, heart ailment or kidney disease are admitted to the hospital.”

As of Wednesday, YCM Hospital had 200 patients who had severe symptoms and 200 more with moderate symptoms that are likely to become severe. “And 72 are critically ill who are in ICU,” he said.

Despite beds reserved only for those with severe symptoms, Dr Wable advised people to seek early treatment.

“If patients do not seek early treatment from proper hospitals, especially those treating COVID patients, then it doesn’t not take long for initial mild symptoms to become moderate and then progress to severe symptoms. So the key to tackingly COVID is to go for early testing, quick treatment,” he said.

PCMC health department officials said many patients are going to local clinics and are seeking treatment from hospitals only when their condition worsens. “Local clinic doctors should immediately ask the patients to get tested if he or she has fever and body pain, especially backache. But this does not seem to be happening. They are giving some pills to the patient. This brings down the fever but, after a day or two, the fever comes back in severe form. Therefore, it is important that the patients see doctors who are regularly handing those with COVID like symptoms,” officials said.

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Dr Salve also said that families should not delay seeking treatment for their members. “Especially, those comorbid should immediately be taken to the doctor if they display any of the COVID-like symptoms. In several cases, it is seen that the patient’s condition deteriorates in no time…,” he said.

Rahul Binawat, who lost his mother to Covid on Monday, said, “My mother had fever on Friday…We got her tested on Saturday afternoon. Late in the evening, she felt uneasy. We searched for a hospital for seven hours, but could not get admission….she died a few hours after her test.”