PATNA: The contribution of Covid-19 deaths within a couple of days of admission to the
overall mortality rate is unacceptably high, say, experts. Several hospitals, including government ones, treating
Covid patients in
Patna are witnessing patients succumbing to the virus within 48 hours of hospitalisation.
Health experts attributed this to the delay in hospitalisation and severity of the virus in the second wave as the main reasons behind the rise in mortality rate within few days. Some experts believe that Covid patients referred late by private and other district hospitals in a severe condition also resulted in the death of patients.
Of the 41 Covid deaths at
NMCH, Patna, since April 1, around 79% or 33 died within 48 hours of their admission. About 55% of them died on the day of hospitalisation.
Dr Ajay Kumar Sinha, an NMCH nodal officer, said patients who are arriving here with severely affected lungs and oxygen saturation levels between 40 and 50 are dying within a few hours of their admission.
"Several patients in the last couple of weeks were brought to the hospital in advanced stages of pneumonia and lung infection as referred from other private hospitals and government facilities. Optimal care is needed for such patients. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is highly effective in treating pneumonia patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome," Dr Sinha said. He advised Covid patients in home isolation to check their oxygen saturation level every two hours.
As per records, 48% of Covid deaths at
AIIMS-Patna took place within 48 hours of admission of patients. Altogether 12 out of 28 patients succumbed to the virus within 48 hours of hospitalisation since April 1.
Dr Sanjeev Kumar, nodal officer for Covid at AIIMS-P told this newspaper that there are two reasons behind the sudden death of Covid patients, first the delay in seeking medical aid, due to which their lungs got badly affected. "By the time such patients come, they already develop hypoxia (absence of enough oxygen in the tissues to sustain bodily functions) and the saturation level dropped to 40-60," he said
He added, "Secondly, the virus strain of the later phase of the second wave is different from the first one. In this phase, the health of Covid patients even the healthy ones deteriorate very fast within a few hours of their hospitalisation and they succumb."
At
PMCH, on an average 4 to 5 patients succumbed to the disease daily, of which 1-2 patients died within a few hours of hospitalisation. Superintendent Dr IS Thakur said, "Sometimes, family and relatives of Covid patients brought them to the hospital when they are in a critical situation. It has become impossible to save patients when their oxygen levels are critically low and their lungs are badly affected."
Aditya Shekhar, administrative officer of Netaji Subhas Medical College and Hospital,
Bihta, said of the 17 patients admitted on Friday, three of them died in less than 24 hours. "Only critical patients whose oxygen level dropped below 40 are coming for medical aid. We have started the Covid-19 ward on April 16 and most of the patients are in a severe category," he said.