ID Hosp sets up 2 Covid isolation wards, 7 new cases at 4 facilities
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Kolkata: Fresh cases of Covid-19 continued to emerge in Kolkata, with at least seven new cases reported from four hospitals on Wednesday. Health department sources said that while surveillance has increased, two isolation wards have been kept ready at ID Hospital, in case the number spikes.
The state-run hospital served as the nodal Covid hospital during the first and second waves of the pandemic.
Two patients are being treated at Woodlands Hospital — an 89-year-old man from Alipore and a 41-year-old woman from Thakurpukur. Admitted on Tuesday, the 89-year-old needed oxygen as he was experiencing respiratory distress. Doctors said his condition is improving, and he does not need oxygen now.
"This patient, who has several comorbidities, also shows evidence of lung involvement.
He is recovering well in the isolation ICU," said critical care specialist Soutik Panda. Sources said the woman came with low-grade fever, headache, malaise, and other symptoms of upper respiratory infection. She, however, does not need oxygen support and is being treated in an isolated cabin.
"We currently have only one Covid patient, who is an elderly man with a host of comorbidities. Though he has mild symptoms, the critical care team is taking care of him due to his comorbidities," said critical care specialist Sauren Panja of RN Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences.
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"Two more swab samples tested at our lab came out positive on Wednesday," said microbiologist Shelly Sharma Ganguly of Manipal Broadway. Sources said both were OPD patients, and one is on dialysis for renal failure. Two other patients are already admitted in this Salt Lake hospital. Swab samples of two patients admitted at Kolkata Port Trust Hospital, Alipore, tested at ICMR-NIRBI (National Institute for Research in Bacterial Diseases), formerly NICED, also confirmed the infection.
Officials at the institute in Beleghata said that its lab has started receiving samples from hospitals that don't have testing facilities. Sources said officials of the institute held an initial round of talks with the health department and assured all possible assistance in case the number increases.
"A couple of samples tested in our lab tested positive for Covid-19, including the Port Trust Hospital samples. While there is no reason to panic, we are prepared to play our role in case of a surge.
Since we also have a VRDL lab, which can detect various types of infections, we can coordinate with the health department if the state wants," said ICMR-NIRBI director Santasabuj Das.
At present, at least 20 Covid-19 patients are being treated in hospitals across the city, including two at Medical College Hospital Kolkata. Sources said that while most patients have comorbidities, at least three children and a few younger adults with no known comorbidities are also among the admitted patients.
The health department is yet to come out with a directive on testing or treatment, or on the number of positive cases. "We have stepped up our surveillance activities," said a health official.
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