Lungs bear the brunt of the impact in Covid second wave

Lungs bear the brunt of the impact in Covid second wave

Amrita.Didyala@timesgroup.com

Hyderabad:  02.05.2021 

Unlike its behaviour during the first wave, the Covid-19 virus is now attacking the lungs early on, resulting in many patients being wheeled into hospitals with 60% to 70% lung damage, say doctors. According to them there are also many instances of patients going from comfortably sitting at home to reaching a hospital and succumbing to the virus in barely 10 to 15 hours This pattern, observed in several cases in the city recently, show that sudden deterioration in health — in the latest wave of Covid-19 — is leaving doctors with almost no time for treatment.

Adding to the problem is the large number of patients from poor socio-economic strata who have no access to oximeters and are reaching later than required.

“This time, the virus is directly affecting the lungs in the first few days itself unlike during the first wave. We are seeing patients come with 70% or more damage of the lungs, bilateral damage with only a part of the lung functioning. In patients from poor economic background, there is still lack of understanding on the gravity of the situation and they come after five-six days of symptoms, which makes it worse,” said Dr Marri Mallikarjun, nodal officer, Covid-19 at King Koti Hospital.

In a recent instance, a suspected patient of Covid passed away within hours of developing fever. “After one of our family member tested positive and others were preparing to get tested, my aunt developed fever. Within a few hours, it progressed to gasping and on checking the oxygen saturation, it was less than 78. We rushed to the hospital but by the time we could get a bed, she had deteriorated severely and succumbed shortly after getting a bed,” said the patient’s relative.

Also, deaths among younger patients are being increasingly reported and doctors say that many patients who turned up at emergency rooms were clueless that they had comorbidities.

“This only makes the process of stabilizing them more difficult. When we admit them and start checking their vitals, that is when we find out that they already have a cardiac issue or a kidney failure. In a few cases it might also be information withheld by the patients, but a large chunk of the younger patients is unaware of their actual health status. This is one of the reasons for deterioration, apart from the fact that the virus has severely mutated,” said a senior doctor from the Gandhi Hospital.

Deaths among younger patients are being increasingly reported and doctors say that many patients who turned up at emergency rooms were clueless about comorbidities