Even negative COVID patients require oxygen; Assam health department on the new strain

Devabrata Dutta

GUWAHATI: Anurag Goel, principal secretary of Health and Family Welfare, Assam, has informed today that the new strain of the COVID-19 virus is way more infectious and deadly, in a press conference at Assam Administrative Staff College.

"The new strain of the virus is very infectious and as a society we need to be very careful," said Anurag Goel addressing the press.

He further added, "The oxygen requirement of the state is also getting higher as many patients require medical oxygen even after being tested negative. We put them out from the Intensive Care Unit but still they would be in need of medical oxygen."

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As per government record, currently Assam is generating 65.8 metric tonnes of medical oxygen per day whereas daily consumption is 50-55 MT, which was only 20 MT in the month of April. Also the state has a storage capacity of 480 MT overall.

Goel also drew attention towards the deadliness of the new strain and said, "In many cases patients die within 2/3 minutes after arriving at hospitals. Most of the time doctors do not even get to start with their treatment. And it's not that all of them have comorbidities, there are completely healthy persons as well."

In another government report it's revealed that from May 5 to May 9 this year, as many as 52 persons had died within 12 hours of being hospitalized.

In the same period of days, 194 persons with comorbidities succumbed to the virus whereas 129 persons with no comorbidities lost their lives.

In the first week of May, the average of daily new COVID cases was 3,444 which rose upto 5,215 by the second week.

Also Read: Assam records 85 COVID deaths in 24 hours, new caes crosses 6200 mark

As per the official record, the worst affected districts of Assam in the second week of May with their positivity rates are -- Kamrup Metro (15.56 per cent), Kamrup rural (14.18 per cent), Darrang (12.60 per cent), Tinsukia (10. 93 per cent), Dibrugarh (10.77 per cent) and Udalguri (10.01 per cent).

Focusing on the learning points, Goel added, "We have to reduce COVID cases. If the active cases go from thirty nine thousand to one lakh in less than ten days then there will be a shortage of ICU beds and oxygen. Early detection is required so it does not get spread. In case of any symptoms go for a COVID test first, then others."

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