New Delhi: Delhi government analysis of deaths among Covid-19 patients in the city between January 5 and 9 has shown that 35 out of 46, or 76%, of the fatalities were in unvaccinated people, and 21, or almost half, were admitted for other reasons before they were detected as infected with coronavirus.
“It will be wrong to say that this time deaths are happening purely because of Covid-19. If we say, deaths are because of Omicron, it will be incorrect. It is mostly because of other co-morbidities,” said BL Sherwal, medical director at Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital, adding that there is a marked reduction in the number of serious people being hospitalised.
In all, 34 of the 46 the deaths were among people who had comorbid conditions known to raise the risk of severe Covid-19, and 23 – or 50% — of all deaths were recorded within a day of the patients being admitted, suggesting their condition was already critical when they got medical attention.
To be sure, it is not clear if Covid further complicated the existing comorbidities.
The Delhi government has formed a Covid death analysis committee to review each death that takes place during the current wave.
The Capital recorded 17 fatalities classified as Covid-19 deaths on Sunday, the highest since June 16. There were 17 deaths on Monday as well.
Of the 46 deaths, 25 were in people above the age of 60 years, with those between the age of 41 and 60 suffering the next-highest numbers of fatalities at 14.
“Some of the patients who recently died were those who were brought to hospitals when their SpO2 fell below 80 and was in the 70-80 range. Their lungs were badly infected even before they were brought to the hospitals. People should take the infection seriously and avoid self-medication or delay in seeking qualified professional medical treatment,” a second official, who asked not to be named, said.
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