Diabetics form 59% of mucormycosis patients in Gujarat

AHMEDABAD: Analysis of the mucormycosis patients in Gujarat carried out by the state health department revealed that 59% of the total patients were diabetics, whereas 22% were immuno-compromised and 15% had co-morbid conditions. The number of diabetics out of 658 patients at Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad on the other hand was about 95%, said experts.
The state government released the analysis of the cases – but did not reveal the numbers of total cases so far, or of deaths. The central government on Monday had declared 2,165 cases – the highest in the country – to be from Gujarat. The state government claimed deaths of 4% patients, putting the approximate figure of deaths at 87, which is much lower than the experts’ conservative estimate of 250-odd deaths due to the black fungus in Gujarat.
Analysis by the state government claimed that 14.3% of the total patients have got discharged, whereas 81.6% of the total cases are currently hospitalized. The male to female ratio is 2:1, said officials, whereas 71% of the patients are above 45 years of age. Only 0.5% were below 18 years of age, 28.4% in 18-45 years and 46.3% 45-60 years age group.
About half of the patients (49.5%) had taken steroid treatment whereas one-third were put on oxygen or assistive breathing during their Covid infection.
Civil Hospital authorities said that out of 658 patients so far, 241 or 37% were from Ahmedabad, whereas all others were from other districts of Gujarat. “We have also got 15 patients from Madhya Pradesh, 12 from Maharashtra and eight from Rajasthan. We have also got patients with pre-existing conditions such as cancer, cardiac issues and renal failure, which are given both the treatments simultaneously,” said a senior official, adding that about 95% of the patients at the hospitals are diabetics.
“An entire floor of surgical wards is dedicated to the mucormycosis patients as the hospital is carrying out over 20 surgeries daily. Early intervention can surely save lives. We are witnessing downward trend – but many patients operated at the private hospitals are now getting admitted due to shortage of medicines,” said the official.