Late arrival in hospitals behind Covid deaths: IGMC Shimla

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 13

Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital registered six Covid deaths in the past 24 hours. “We saw so many deaths last year when the disease had peaked towards November. This time, we have witnessed the similar number of deaths within less than a month of the Covid surge,” said IGMC Principal Rajnish Pathania.

The casualties include young and those without co-morbidities. “The main reason of the death among the youth is late arrival in the hospital. Many are still in the denial mode about the disease and reach late in hospitals,” said the principal. Also, the doctors are observing more severe infection among the youth this time. Compared to last year, the percentage of the youth requiring hospitalisation appears greater.

“A 25-year-old from Bhutan, who was here on training with an audit institute, came in with a severe disease and was shifted to Chandigarh by the Embassy,” said Pathania.

Besides, the number of admissions is rising fast in the hospital. On Tuesday evening, the count was around 85. “The majority is on the oxygen support. The infection rate this time is very high compared to last year even those taking due precautions are at risk,” said Pathania.

Meanwhile, the state still has a long way to go to hit the target of 15,000 tests in a day. The state is logging in numbers that are around half or one/third of the target.