2nd wave waving goodbye: Not many in same family testing +ve

Nagpur: With the number of Covid cases going down, the rate of transmission and interactivity too has dropped to a large extent. Doctors and experts in laboratories and diagnostics centres said severity of the infection maybe the same, but since the number of new cases is low, the percentage of severe to critical patients is also less.
Radiologists at HRCT scan centres said there is a dip of 30% in patients with score of above 8, while 30% don’t have any lung involvement now. The observation of treating doctors regarding moderate to severe patients correlates with that of the findings by CT scan centres, which show about 20% patients having a score of above 8.
Similarly, Covid labs found that the number of entire families testing positive is down now. During March and April, the district saw families testing positive with more than one member needing hospitalization as the new mutant strain was considered more virulent.
Dr Mohan Nerker, who is Covid unit in-charge of Seven Star Hospital, said it seems the virus has lost its potency or become less virulent. “Whatever patients are turning up have mild symptoms and getting treated on OPD basis. Serious patients are either being shifted from other hospitals or belong to other districts,” he said.

Dr Nerker added another reason for reduced transmission could be the number of people already recovered or vaccinated. “Once a sizeable population develops herd immunity, the transmission of virus is stalled,” he explained.
Infectious disease specialist Dr Ashwini Tayade said even now multiple members in families are getting infected, but because of lesser number of cases they are going unnoticed. “We are still seeing similar presentation and virulence of virus,” said Dr Tayade.

GMCH medical superintendent Dr Avinash Gawande said in some areas, so far untouched by Covid, it may affect entire family, but in general not all are testing positive. “Though, severity rate is the same. Transmission and infectivity rate is low due to lockdown, awareness, immunization and herd immunity,” he added.

Crescent Diagnostics lab director Dr Sarfaraz Ahmed observed that lesser number of households are witnessing infection among all family members.

Metroscan director Dr Atul Dakhole said HRCT scan of 30% patients is normal and without changes in lungs. “Around 30% have score up to 8 and 20% above 8. In the last two months, over 50% patients had 8 and above score,” he added.

Consultant radiologist Dr MA Bivji said there has been drastic drop in CT score, while the footfall has declined to January-February level. “Severe disease has not been seen in the last couple of days,” he said.