In HP, 50% Covid patients died within 48 hrs of hospitalisation, 12% before reaching hospitals

Shimla: More than 50 percent of Covid deaths in the devastating second wave has happened within 48-hour of the patients reaching hospitals, a large percentage of them at two premier government medical college hospitals at Tanda (Kanga) and Shimla. A close analysis of 2,752 deaths which happened till May 23 also reveals a startling fact that 11.8 percent of the Covid patients died before getting any medical help, of which 4.1 percent were brought dead and another 7.7 percent lost time to be shifted to any institutionalised care.

Yet a highest number of patients i.e. 38% patients died within 24 hours of hospitalization and another 11.3% patients lost their lives within 48 hours of hospitalization. "The results are indicative of a serious concern as they reflect that 49.8% of patients died due to delay in seeking medical help," said Dr Nipun Jindal, Mission Director National Health Mission (NHM), Shimla. Of these, the highest number of patients i.e. 267, of total 1045, who died within 24 hours were from Kangra district followed by 201 in Shimla and 119 at Mandi.

Former Shimla Mayor Sanjay Chauhan alleged "complete mismanagement of the patients in the Covid care wards where no senior doctors attend the patients. They were left to their own fate irrespective of their conditions and falling saturation level. Most of the deaths happen during the night as none is there to fix oxygen or attend them."

The number of those who died after 72–hours of hospitalisation was 267, of total 874 in Kangra and another 190 in Shimla. Total deaths after 72-hour hospitalisation were 31.8% against 50% losing their battle to Covid in 48-hours of hospitalisation. Dr Jindal says "11.8% patients died before reaching the hospital reflects a view that the public should be very vigilant about the warning signs of COVID-19 disease at home as a timely medical intervention can save their lives."

In case of home isolated COVID positive patients, the patients must be in regular communication with the treating physicians and keep monitoring their vitals. If the baseline oxygen saturation is less than 94% or their SpO2 goes less than 94% after 6 minutes walk test, the patient should immediately be transferred to the hospital for medical management to achieve good clinical outcomes and minimise mortality & morbidity, says Dr Jindal, who is also official spokesman on Covid.

In the past 24-hours, 60 persons lost their lives to Covid of which 19 were in Kangra and nine in Sirmaur. Keeping on with the past two days trend, 1999 new cases were reported on Tuesday. The active cases have dropped to 23,053 and 3067 also got cured.