Covid testing on roadside during the weekend curfew in view of rising cases in New Delhi on Sunday. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna) Of the 46 people who died of Covid-19 between January 5 and January 9, 25 were above the age of 60 years, 34 had co-morbid conditions, while 21 tested positive after being admitted to hospital for some other ailment.
Only 11 were vaccinated.
According to officials, among those who died were also people who had been injured in accidents, or children born with congenital issues, who happened to test positive for Covid as well.
Data related to deaths of patients was discussed in the Delhi Disaster Management Authority meeting on Monday, where Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lt-Governor Anil Baijal were present.
The number of Covid deaths has gone up significantly this month, after low numbers were recorded since September 2021. There have been 70 deaths due to the infection in the first 10 days of the year, the data shows. There were only nine deaths in December, seven in November, four in October, and five in September.
Out of the 46, 28 were men and 18 were women. One person was below the age of 15; one below the age of 20; 5 below the age of 50; and 14 were between 41 and 60 years of age.
A significant number — 37 — had come to the hospital after their oxygen saturation levels dropped below 94. Doctors have advised people who have tested positive for Covid to check their oxygen saturation levels regularly and go to the hospital in case the levels fall below 94.
Of the 46, 12 died the same day as they were admitted, while 14 died three to seven days after admission. Only three were admitted for longer than a week, data shows.
Govt plan for 1 lakh cases a day
The Delhi government, meanwhile, presented its bed requirement assessment at Monday’s meeting. It said that if Delhi sees 1 lakh cases a day, the city will have to prepare 46,000 hospital beds — 28,000 oxygenated ones and 18,000 ICU beds.
This is based on the assumption that of all those people who test positive, 5% will be admitted to hospitals.
Assuming a hospitalisation rate of 5%, if daily cases touch the 30,000 mark, 1,500 patients would be in need of hospitalisation; 1,200 would be in need of oxygen support; 300 would need ICU support; and the total hospital beds needed to tackle this magnitude would be 13,800.
At present, there are 65,800 active cases in the city. Of them, only 1,999 persons are hospitalised. There are 438 persons on oxygen support and 65 patients on ventilators.
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