City sees first Covid-19 death in 5 months

A 52-year-old Covid-19 patient in Mumbai died, becoming the city's first virus casualty in almost five months. It is unclear whether the patient was infected with the JN.1 variant of the Omicron subvariant. Mumbai recorded 21 new cases on Saturday, with 51% of active cases being asymptomatic. The state has tested 139 patients with JN.1 so far. The health department's task force issued guidelines reminding people to follow Covid-19 protocols, as cases are expected to increase in the next 15 days.

Mumbai: A 52-year-old Covid-19 positive patient from Chembur died at a public hospital on Friday night, making him the city’s first casualty of the virus after nearly five months.

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Whether the man was infected with the JN.1 variant, the new subvariant of Omicron that caused a surge in new cases across the country, will only be known after a genome sequencing report, people aware of the matter said.

“The patient was a chronic alcoholic, and he was admitted in the hospital with fever, cough, cold, and breathlessness for five days. His condition deteriorated and he died of lower respiratory tract infection and sepsis,” a health official from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said.

To be sure, the city has not yet seen any patient with the new subvariant.

On Saturday, Mumbai recorded 21 new Covid-19 cases. About 51% of the 150 active cases are asymptomatic, the official said and added that those with mild symptoms recover within a few days. The last death was reported in the city on August 9.

The task force, appointed by the health department, on Friday issued guidelines re-emphasising the need to follow Covid-19 appropriate behaviour - wearing masks, following cough and hand hygiene. The active cases in the state stand at 911.

The task force said those returning from Christmas and New Year vacation could be carriers of infection and needed to be extra vigilant.

“If they have fever, cold, cough, they should isolate themselves and get tested for Covid-19. This will help stop the spread of infection. The next 15 days will be crucial as the cases are expected to go up,” Dr Raman Gangakhedkar, chairman of the task force, said.

Dr Dileep Mhaisekar, director of Directorate of Medical Education and Research, who is also on board the five-member committee, said although the state has seen an uptick in cases in the last one month, many patients are with milder symptoms and there is no significant increase in hospital admissions and deaths.

“Adhering to the isolate-test-treat protocol along with the Covid-19 appropriate behaviour such as wearing masks, following hand and cough hygiene, and avoiding crowded places will help us combat the infection. People testing positive should isolate themselves. In the present infection, we are seeing symptoms lasting four-five days,” Dr Mhaisekar said.

He also said senior citizens and immunocompromised people should be more vigilant. “Such people fall in the high-risk category. They should avoid contact with Covid-19 positive patients and people with virus-like symptoms. They should be admitted to hospital if tested positive.”

The task force added that all patients, especially high-risk ones, with influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory infections should be tested for Covid-19.