NAGPUR: Even as Covid-19 cases had been constantly growing for more than a month, authorities as well as treating doctors were not worried as the hospitalization rate was negligible. Even when there were more than 900 active cases in Nagpur district, only 25 patients were in hospitals.
But in the last week, there has been a small but sure spike in hospitalizations in all parts of the region, including Nagpur. Some of the hospitalized patients have turned critical too. At least five of them have died in the last five days. This has worried doctors about the change in the manifestation of Covid-19.
Recent reports from genome sequencing agencies detecting a Delta-like mutation, namely L452R, in the BA.2 sample from Maharashtra have raised eyebrows of the medical fraternity. In Nagpur, doctors said they have been seeing some patients having Delta-like symptoms.
“I have seen at least two patients having chest congestion in the X-ray and other problems, which generally used to exist in patients during the Delta wave,” said Dr Nitin Shinde, infectious diseases specialist and added, “But I must mention, they were unvaccinated people.”
The risk factor is more in patients with immunocompromised conditions and having undergone organ transplant.
Infectious diseases specialist Dr Ashwini Tayade said that elderly and unvaccinated patients are requiring hospitalization. “Most of the hospitalized patients are elderly having other ailments. Vaccine has played important role in safeguarding the youngsters. However, many of them haven’t taken the third dose yet,” she said.
According to Dr Tayade, the immunity acquired through natural infection during the third wave triggered by Omicron is not enough and “the third dose can’t be skipped because you had Covid in third wave”. “The disease in the third wave was very mild and so is the immunity. So, you must take the third dose to be safe and protected in the present surge,” she said.
Critical care specialist Dr Nirmal Jaiswal also observed that majority of the hospitalized patients had neglected the third dose. “Third dose is important and I appeal to people to take it at the earliest,” he said.
