Covid-19 deaths reach 400 in Ghaziabad, 125 patients still on ventilator support

Ghaziabad: Amid a steady decline in Covid-19 cases, the number of deaths due to the infection reached 400 on Wednesday in the district

Ghaziabad: Amid a steady decline in Covid-19 cases, the number of deaths due to the infection reached 400 on Wednesday in the district. According to the state health bulletin, about 73% of the fatalities, or 294, took place between April 1 and May 19.

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Officials of the district health department said that more deaths may occur in coming days as about 125 patients are still on ventilator support in different health-care facilities.

The district had recorded 102 deaths till December last year. The major spike in fatalities took place from mid of April and extended to the month of May, the data showed. The previous highest in terms of fatalities were 50 in June last year.

According to records of the district health department, the district’s mortality rate was about 0.76% on May 19.

According to the data last compiled by the health department of the peak period from April 1 to May 13, 80 fatalities of total 252 took place in age group over 60 years, while 58 deaths took place in age group 41-50 and another 50 in age group 51-60 years.

On a positive note, the cases are showing a declining trend in Ghaziabad. According to the health bulletin, the district recorded 2,507 positive cases from May 14-20 against 4,174 cases in the previous week (May 7-13). On Thursday, the district reported 364 new cases, taking the tally of active cases to 2,760.

The health officials said that the 125 patients on ventilator support are from Ghaziabad as well as from other districts.

“Recovery rate of Covid-19 patients who are on ventilator support is low. So, we are concerned about such 125 patients. Besides, many patients are also in ICU and on oxygen support. There are about 815 ICU beds with an occupancy of about 90%. At present, the fresh cases have reduced, but fatalities are still coming in,” said Dr NK Gupta, chief medical officer.

“During the second wave, it is seen that patients in ICU generally recover within a week or so. If they take longer, the chances of recovery get reduced. Such conditions are seen in patients having co-morbidity,” Gupta said.

Experts are of opinion that fatalities will ensue as patients are still under treatment in ICUs and on ventilator support. “Normally, in non-Covid cases about 60-70% patients on ventilator recover. However, this rate has declined to about 10-20% in case of Covid patients. So, utmost care is to be taken of such patients,” said Dr Ashish Agarwal, president of Indian Medical Association (Ghaziabad).

Agarwal further warned that post-Covid cases need to be monitored till patients recover fully. “As a result of the infection, patients develop a lot of complications to lungs and also become fragile. So, it is expected that health authorities will have to devote another six months for post-Covid care,” he added.

The district administration earlier this week issued directions that the Covid ward in hospitals will be monitored through the Integrated Covid Command and Control Centre (ICCC) and it will also take health status of the patients.