Avoid needless hospitalisation, patients urged

BHUBANESWAR: In view of the continuous rise in coronavirus cases, the Odisha government on Friday urged Covid-19 positive people to avoid unnecessary hospitalisation and leave the beds for the needy as asymptomatic and patients with mild symptoms can be treated at home. 

Additional Chief Secretary PK Mohapatra said those asymptomatic or with mild symptoms can recover early in home isolation rather than facing unpleasant experience in hospitals with only patients in the surroundings.

As per the revised treatment protocol, patients clinically assigned as mild/asymptomatic cases by the treating medical officer will be in communication with a physician and promptly report any deterioration in condition. The Covid positive patients in home isolation must continue the medication for other comorbid illnesses after consulting the treating physician.

 “Hospital beds have become precious following the unprecedented surge in  cases. No one had imagined that the second wave would be so furious. Though Odisha is fully prepared, nobody knows what will happen in the coming days. In such a scenario, hospital beds should be left for serious patients,” he said.The government’s appeal came on the day the State recorded its highest single day spike with 8,681 people testing positive in the last 24 hours.  The disease also claimed 14 lives, highest on a day so far this year, during the period.

A day after a 16 per cent (pc) drop in new infections, the State witnessed a jump of 24 pc from the previous day’s tally of 6,998. Khurda district recorded the maximum 1,408 cases, followed by Sundargarh (745), Cuttack (570), Puri (514), Balangir (459), Bargarh (423), Angul (419), Jharsuguda (411) and Sambalpur (410). 

As many as 45,452 tests, including 18,703 through RT-PCR, were conducted in the last 24 hours. The test positivity rate once again crossed 19 pc with many western Odisha districts recording above 30 pc TPR.
The senior health authority requested people not to panic and cooperate with the government in management of Covid-19 as the country is undergoing a critical phase with the highest ever daily caseload and fatalities. 

“Hospitalisation is not required for all patients. The State has around 89 per cent patients who are recuperating at home under medical supervision. Doctors are available round the clock to provide consultation. The government will facilitate shifting of patients from home if condition deteriorates,” he said.

As many as 5,271 patients are in hospitals now and among them 1,426 are in ICUs and 270 on ventilators. The State has so far set up 11,227 beds, including 2,063 in ICUs, and 701 ventilators apart from 40,000 beds with oxygen supply in Covid care centres (CCCs).

In terms of oxygen availability, Mohapatra said, the State has a capacity of storing 130 tonne oxygen in cylinders besides the per day generation capacity of 375  tonne liquid medical oxygen. The consumption was around 45 tonne per day.

Mohapatra also urged people to make way for a second dose vaccination of 45 plus age group as the State is facing acute shortage of Covishield vaccine. It has a stock of around one lakh doses against the requirement of 6.3 lakh doses.