Some relief amid Omicron surge

Hyderabad: A majority of patients at the outpatient wings of government tertiary hospitals in Hyderabad including Gandhi, Chest, Osmania General Hospital (OGH) and Fever Hospitals are reporting with flu-like symptoms with minimal or no need for oxygen or ventilation support, among Covid positive patients. While the outpatient wings are witnessing a rise in patients due […]

Hyderabad: A majority of patients at the outpatient wings of government tertiary hospitals in Hyderabad including Gandhi, Chest, Osmania General Hospital (OGH) and Fever Hospitals are reporting with flu-like symptoms with minimal or no need for oxygen or ventilation support, among Covid positive patients.

While the outpatient wings are witnessing a rise in patients due to morbidity from symptoms such as extreme body aches, lethargy, cough, sore throat and fever, the inpatient wards at these tertiary hospitals, which had struggled to allocate vacant hospital beds during the peak of Delta wave, have continued to register minimal hospitalisation.

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“Last year, within three days of testing Covid positive, patients used to get admitted to government hospitals for oxygen support. This year, the big difference is that despite being positive and experiencing high fever and other symptoms, patients are staying home and not rushing to hospitals because they do not have oxygen or breathing problems. Today, we just have just 20 Covid positive patients admitted, which was not the case during Delta wave,” says Superintendent, Fever Hospital, Dr K Shankar.

Due to inherent milder nature of the Omicron variant (when compared to Delta), and hybrid immunity gained through vaccinations and early infection, a majority of the positive patients with symptoms are able to recover within five to six days, doctors here said.

Due to the heavy load of Covid patients at OPs, instead of referring them to Gandhi Hospital, the OGH has decided to operate an exclusive Covid unit at King Koti District Hospital.

“We have deputed 15 senior residents and an Associate Professor for Covid positive patients needing speciality care at King Koti hospital. While the number of surgeries being taken up on a daily basis has reduced, there is no drop in OP services. We are also ensuring that the Covid positive patients get access to a specialist at King Koti,” Superintendent, OGH, Dr N Nagender said.

While hospitalisations are less, those at the OPs with symptoms undergo rapid antigen tests on the spot. If tested positive, then immediately they are handed over the isolation medicine kit and asked to isolate themselves.

“If a family member has tested positive, then in all probability all the other family members are also Covid positive. We are handing over home isolation kits to the entire family. All the Covid positive patients are recovering in home isolation and medicine kits are working wonders. At present, there are just 15 Covid positive admissions and no one is on ventilator support,” says Superintendent, Chest Hospital, Dr Mahaboob Khan.

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