BMC to follow-up on recovered Covid-19 patients on alternate days

With many recovered Covid-19 patients complaining of weakness and fatigue after being discharged from hospitals, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has

With many recovered Covid-19 patients complaining of weakness and fatigue after being discharged from hospitals, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has instructed all ward officers to follow up on recovered patients.

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Ward officers will do regular check-ups of recovered patients and both private and civic-run hospitals have been instructed to maintain a list of Covid-19 patients who report serious health complications after recovery.

A study, published in the July 27 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), said that in Italy, 87.4% of patients who had recovered from Covid-19 complained of symptoms, particularly fatigue and dyspnea (shortness of breath), even after two months.

Doctors across Mumbai say they have noticed a similar trend, with recovered patients returning with complications. For instance, Ramdas Chauhan, a 65-year-old resident of Bhendi Bazar was diagnosed with Covid-19 on June 28 and admitted to Lokmanya Tilak General Hospital, also known as Sion hospital, the next day.

When his oxygen saturation declined to 81%, Chauhan was shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and put on a ventilator. He remained in ICU for 14 days. On July 16, he tested negative and was discharged.

Thirteen days later, he says he still has body ache and breathlessness.

“At present, more than 75 recovered Covid-19 patients are seeing me with similar complaints. Around 12 have developed acute pneumonia which has scarred the lungs. Such patients can develop impaired lungs that can lead to further health complications,” said Dr Ansari Rehman, a general physician (GP) who is treating Chauhan.

Cases like Chauhan’s have prompted BMC to follow up with discharged patients.

“All ward officers have a list of patients according to their age and the seriousness of the infection. They have been instructed to follow up with patients who were cured and hospitalise them if they develop health complications,” said Suresh Kakani, additional commissioner, BMC.

The civic body has also instructed both public and private hospitals to keep a list of recovered patients who have returned due to severe health complications. “So far, we haven’t received any such serious patients in civic-run hospitals, but we are also checking with private hospitals,” Kakani said.