Most deaths of comorbid patients, govt directs specialised care

New Delhi: The Delhi government on Tuesday issued an advisory asking all hospitals to ensure that Covid-positive patients with comorbidities are duly attended by specialists.

The advisory noted that Delhi has witnessed an upsurge in COVID-19 deaths since last week and 70 fatalities have been reported from medical facilities since the last week of December. Most of the deceased patients suffered from comorbidities such as cancer, heart and liver diseases, it said.

"It may be ensured that all Covid-positive patients admitted with various comorbidities or the patients admitted with other serious diseases who turn out to be Covid-positive are duly attended by concerned specialist and due attention is to be given to the patients," the advisory stated.

Significantly, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday made the same point, noting that of the 136 Covid-19 positive patients at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital here, 130 were admitted for other illnesses or procedures and were accidentally infected with the virus. He said that this time around not many people are having to rush to hospitals just for Covid. Many are visiting hospitals for other procedures and are testing positive for Covid in routine testing.

According to government data, 46 COVID-19 patients died in Delhi between January 5 and January 9. Of these, 34 had comorbidities such as cancer, heart and liver diseases. However, the data also showed that only 11 of the 46 patients were vaccinated against COVID-19. On January 9, 1,912 patients were admitted to hospitals and 17 deaths were reported, the data showed.

"Medical directors/medical superintendents of all hospitals are directed to issue necessary directions to all concerned to put in place prompt and appropriate systems in their hospital to ensure compliance of timely management of hospital admissions as per protocol, proper treatment protocol, satisfactory levels of patient care and analysis of COVID-19 deaths," the advisory said.

Before this advisory, the government had also noted that a large number of doctors getting infected was also resulting in a spike in infections in non-Covid ICU wards and dialysis wards and directed all private hospitals and nursing homes to ensure routine staff testing.

Since the beginning of this year, the Capital has reported over 90 Covid-19 deaths - higher than the toll reported in the last four months (Dec, Nov, Oct, Sept 2021) combined.