Howrah to admit all elderly mild symptomatic patients

Kolkata: The Howrah District administration has decided to admit all elderly Covid patients having comorbidity in hospital or in safe home even if they are mild symptomatic as the death rate in the district recently went up to 2.8 per cent from 2.5 per cent.

At the same time the recovery rate in the district stands at 91.12 percent. On Monday, 19 people tested positive in the district while 193 were released from hospital and safe homes.

According to the district's Chief Medical Officer (Health) Dr Bhabani Das, the death rate has recently gone up to 2.8 percent. It was under 2.5 percent even a few days ago. "So we have decided to admit all Covid patients above 60 who are suffering from comorbidity to hospital or in safe homes so that round-the-clock surveillance on them can be maintained. It will help in reducing the death rate as we are desperately trying to bring it down below 1.8 percent", she said.

The step will help to bring down the death rate as in many cases it was found by the district authorities that the health condition of an elderly person with comorbidity deteriorates faster and the situation turns worse with rapid fall in oxygen level before the person could be brought to hospital. The process to prepare data of such patients has been started.

As on Monday, there were 851 Covid patients in the district among whom 231 are staying in home isolation while 356 are undergoing treatment in

hospital.

Among the hospitalised ones, 116 are mild symptomatic, 71 are moderate and 169 are in severe condition.