No serious complication in majority of patients
R Dutta Choudhury
GUWAHATI, March 31: Though the number of COVID positive cases recorded an upward trend in Assam during the last few days, the positive aspect is that majority of the patients have not developed any serious complications and that is why most patients opted for home isolation.
Health Department sources told The Assam Tribune that there was a time in July and August last year, when at least 60 per cent of the COVID patients required oxygen support. But now only a handful of patients required oxygen support, which is a positive development. According to records available, around 80 per cent of the patients have opted for home isolation as they have not developed any complication.
Commenting on the overall scenario, sources said that in the month of February, the number of positive cases came down to less than 10 a day, but now the number of cases is increasing and in the last few days over 40 cases were reported daily in the State. Yesterday, 52 cases were reported in the State. Sources pointed out that large number of people must have developed immunity, while, more than 10.39 lakh people have been vaccinated. “The situation is still under control, but people must take adequate precautions,” sources admitted.
Majority of the people detected as COVID positive in the last few days have travel history and there are asymptomatic patients. There is no shortage of hospital beds and the Government hopes to manage the situation in the permanent health facilities without setting up temporary COVID care structures as was done when the spread of the disease was at its peak last year. “When the disease was at its peak last year, there was shortage of beds even after setting up of temporary COVID care structures. But now the situation is under control,” sources added.
Sources revealed that the Kalapahar infectious diseases hospital, which was turned into a full fledged COVID hospital, has a capacity to admit 150 patients and the hospital now has only around 40 patients. Similarly, there are 50 beds for COVID patients in the Mahendra Mohan Choudhury hospital, 100 beds in the State Ayurvedic College and around 80 beds at the Singimari COVID care centre. At the same time, the infrastructure in the district hospitals also improved considerably since last year and there will be no shortage of facilities in the permanent hospitals to treat COVID patients. “In most likelihood, there would be no need for setting up temporary COVID care structures again and the vaccination programme is also going on at full swing. Under the circumstances, we hope to manage the situation comfortably,” sources added.
Sources also said that the normal functioning of any Government hospital in the State has not been affected despite the increase of the number of COVID patients in the last few days.
