Hosps & docs confident of dealing with 2nd wave

New Delhi: While the Capital had largely managed to control its COVID-19 cases at the beginning of the year, cases have started shooting up once again and the climb started in the middle of February. And even as active cases have risen by 311 per cent to 5,497 as of Thursday, a majority of these new cases — 75 per cent — have been reported in just the last 26 days.

Despite this, the data released by the Delhi government shows that the nature of the cases may have changed significantly, allowing the healthcare infrastructure enough room to deal with what many have called the second wave of the pandemic.

Of the active cases, over 50 per cent are recovering in home isolation, a little over 1,000 patients are in hospital, 17 patients are showing mildly severe symptoms and there are no active patients with a serious infection in hospital.

The data further showed that 4,646 hospital beds for COVID-19 patients and over 5,500 beds in Covid-19 Care Centres are currently unoccupied.

Dr Akshay Budharaja, Consultant Department of Pulmonology, Aakash Healthcare Super Speciality Hospital said, "Hospital is better equipped and so are the healthcare workers. With so much experience, now we certainly know, what medicines really help the patients and the do's n dont's. However, the approach to tackle an outburst is still the same. To isolate covid patients as soon as possible. Those who opt for home quarantine are being counseled telephonically, on daily basis."

Meanwhile, Dr Puneet Khanna consultant & HOD respiratory medicine, pulmonology HCMCT Manipal Hospital said that the hospital has witnessed a 30 to 40 per cent increase in the number of Covid cases. "There has been a significant and troublesome increase in the number of Covid cases in both OPD and ER," he added.

Dr Khanna also added that they are better equipped to handle the situation. "We have all the resources and designated areas prepared as we were expecting a second wave," he added. On what they had learned from other countries who have faced the second wave, Dr Khanna said that people should maintain social distancing and follow all protocols.

"Stay home. Don't wait for advisories to come and follow it then. It has been a year. Everyone knows the basics of how to take precautions. Avoid social gatherings, celebrating festivities in groups. It is not over yet," Dr Budharaja added.

The doctors emphasised that people should stop assuming that the pandemic is over.