Covid hospitalizations are piling up, filling up wards, warn doctors

Doctors said that while most of the Kovid patients admitted are already immunocompromised or have a pre-existing disease. They have observed unusual symptoms in some cases, such as redness and itching of the eyes, that were not associated with previous Covid variants. The XBB.1.16 Omicron sub-variant is dominating the current boom.

“Our Covid wards are full. In the last month, we have admitted more than 40 patients, including children and adults who have been diagnosed with COVID infection. Of those, three displayed signs of conjunctivitis, which we had not seen in previous surges. Over the past few months, we’ve seen three different viruses—adenovirus, influenza (H3N2), and Covid—circulating, all with similar symptoms. In the last 10 days, our admissions have been mainly for Covid patients, but the infection is not affecting the lower respiratory tract, so people are recovering faster,” said senior consultant for Covid patient management at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital Dr. Dhiren Gupta said.

On Tuesday, India reported over 7,000 new Covid cases and 11 deaths, taking the total number of active cases across the country to 61,233.

“In the last two to three weeks, the numbers are increasing, and those getting infected are mainly travellers. On an average 10 patients can be admitted to the hospital. Many patients who are admitted for other issues, such as surgery, kidney problems, or heart problems, and incidentally test positive for Covid, said Dr Jayalakshmi TK, Consultant Pulmonologist, Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai. Two cases of influenza have also been noted. A top government epidemiologist, requesting anonymity, said, “As infection exists in the community, the number of hospitalizations will increase, but the nature of the infection will remain mild.”

The health ministry did not respond to inquiries.