Covid-19 Second Wave: Odisha Bed Occupancy Up 120% in 8-days!

Bhubaneswar: The breakneck speed at which the bed occupancy in Covid hospitals during the last eight days has grown in Odisha indicates that the second wave of Covid-19 in the State is requiring greater hospitalisation.

As per the data released by the Odisha health department, during the period of April12-19, the bed occupancy in the State had posted a massive 120 per cent rise. The occupancy on April 12 was 983 beds, which shoot up to touch 2,164 on April 19. The demand had grown by a massive 120 per cent in just 8-days.

IS HOSPITALISATION RATE HIGHER?

The data released shows the rate of hospitalisation in Odisha during the second wave has been higher at around 8 per cent of the total active cases. Earlier data revealed that nearly 6 per cent in the State needed hospitalisation during the corresponding pre-peak period in July- August 2020.

Moreover, another big fact to the fore is the demand for ICU in the State stood at 22 per cent of the total hospitalised cases. And ventilator demand stood lower at 4 per cent.

What looks significant here is, two in every 10 cases of hospitalisation in Odisha are requiring intensive care in the State during the second wave.

WORRYING TIME?

While the rate of demand for intensive care among hospitalised cases looks worrying, the fact of solace is only 1.7 per cent of active cases in the State need intensive care (ICU) treatment.

The countrywide data shows 2.5 per cent of active cases needed ICU treatment.

DEVIL IN DISTRICT DETAILS

Even as the hospitalisation rate across the State looks modest, the devil lies in hotspot wise data.

Though Sundargarh tops the active cases chart in the State, the rate of hospitalisation here has been at around 9 per cent only.

But Khurda tops the chart with a rate of around 17 per cent followed by Nuapada with 16 per cent. Cuttack comes third with a rate of over 14 per cent.

THE BIG WATCHOUT: Ganjam district which last year broke into the top-100 hotspot list, has a high hospitalisation rate as of today. Though the district has only 341 active cases, over 50 per cent or 174 cases required hospitalisation, reveals the data.

• More so, Ganjam is the only district where hospitalisation is higher than home isolation.

WHY ON ALERT MODE?

A higher hospitalisation rate calls for more alert as it signifies a higher proportion of symptomatic patients. Unless proper case management is done, it may lead to a situation of higher fatality rate, suggest the case studies in the first wave. During the first wave, Ganjam reported the highest death toll in the State.