Hyderabad: The number of coronavirus or Covid-19 positive cases is expected to cross the 1,000-mark by next week, but the death toll may be far below that of other major affected countries, according to doctors and experts involved in treatment of the patients in Hyderabad. At 12 noon on Saturday, the total number of positive cases in India is 873 while the deaths stand at 19.
Compared to the death toll in other worst-hit nations like China, the US, Italy, Spain or Iran, India is far ahead of safeguarding its patients now under treatment at different stages—home quarantine, state-run quarantines, isolation wards and ICUs in hospitals. A major source of solace is that around 90% of them are fully conscious and not on ventilators. As per the World Health Organization’s information, as many as 5,12,701 cases are confirmed as positive from 202 countries, while 23,495 are dead. But the average percentages of death toll of the worst hit countries like China and US is double that of the world. Compared to this, the death rate in India is much below in global standards.
The figures in Telangana stand at 59 positive cases and no deaths and in Andhra Pradesh, 13 positive cases without any deaths. According to Dr Vinay Sekhar, a doctor of the Gandhi Medical College attached to Gandhi Hospital, one of the designated care centers in the country for Covid patients, currently, there are 40 positive patients in the ICU of Gandhi Hospital but all are normal.
“I am among the doctors looking after the ICU patients at Gandhi Hospital’s 7th floor (acute care unit) as on today, Saturday, all are showing symptoms of common cold and cough, but keeping well. None of them are in coma or in need of ventilator. Their vitals are normal and temperature in control. Probably, most of them may be discharged soon,” said Dr Sekhar in a video message to the media. Dr Sekhar’s statement is confirmed by other officials of the Gandhi Hospital who described it as an attempt to instill confidence among the family members of the persons with positive testing. The same is the case with the positive cases in Andhra Pradesh. While one person was cured of Covid-19 in AP, the remaining 13 are out of danger for the last one week. The sources at CCMB (Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology) in Hyderabad to endorsed the views of Gandhi Hospital doctor and felt that the situation is the same with the entire India.
“Despite lockdown, the positive cases in the country are surging—54 cases in the last 10 days, but most of them are talking and responding to treatment and not in need of ventilators,” said a functionary of CCMB.
At the same time, the doctors are make it clear that there shall not be any let up in the guard against spread of the virus. “All preventive and precautionary measures must be continued and there shall not be any lowering of guard. The lower death toll is a phenomenon we noticed at present and we don’t know what will happen tomorrow,” clarified an official of Telangana medical and health department.