The Additional Chief Secretary (Health), PK Mohapatra has written to all the district collectors, municipal commissioners, CDM and PHOs regarding the SOP for the requisition of Tocilizumab and other drugs to treat Covid positives.
He said that Tocilizumab, as per the Union Health Ministry, may be considered in patients with moderate disease with progressively increasing oxygen requirements and in mechanically ventilated patients not improving despite the use of steroid.
He further said it was observed that the hospitals are submitting requisitions for provision of the Tocilizumab for COVID patients at different hours of the day without adequate information on the patient’s condition making it difficult on the part of the expert committee to recommend its use and supply.
“It has also come to the notice that after receiving the Tocilizumab through government supply, the hospitals have not used the drugs on some patients for whom requisitions were filed. So as a measure to rationalize the supply of Tocilizuniab or appropriate use by needy patients and to avoid the stockpiling of these limitedly available drugs after being issued, the hospital authority (Medical Superintendent/ CMO/ Authorized Medical officer) must submit their requisition for the patients…”
The chairman of the expert committee, on receipt of the copy of the requisition, will review and forward his recommendation/rejection for the issue of the drugs. The hospital with its authorised representative only will receive the drugs from the Odisha State Medical Corporation Limited (OSMCL) and it must return the unutilised drugs to the corporation, Mohapatra added.
This apart, 15 more tankers are leaving from Dhenkanal, Rourkela and Angul by Saturday, an official statement released by Odisha Police said, adding that the state police has formed a dedicated corridor for speedy movement so as to serve thousands of needy patients in various states without delay.
The Special Cell formed under ADGP (Law and Order), Y K Jethwais is coordinating various actions for prompt loading and transportation of medical oxygen by Odisha to states facing deficit. District SPs/DCPs and Range DIG/IG/CP are supervising the movement personally within their jurisdictions, it said.
Meanwhile, Odisha’s Health and Family Welfare department has set up modalities to meet the demands of oxygen cylinders in the Dedicated COVID Hospital, Covid Care Centres and others where the corona patients are admitted in the state.
In an official letter to all district authorities, Additional Chief Secretary Health and Family Welfare P K Mohapatra said that drug inspectors of districts will ensure timely despatch of the empty cylinders to the assigned fillers and inform his counterparts at which the filler is stationed for timely filing of the cylinders.
He said the hiring charges of vehicles can be met from the Public Health Response Funds or any other suitable head from which transportation districts will be done smoothly.
Official sources said that as against the daily requirement of 23.78 tonne of medical oxygen for patients in Odisha, the daily production of cylinder oxygen in the state is 129.68 tonne. Besides, the daily production of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) is 60 tonne.
While an LMO plant will be commissioned in the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur by May 10, plans are afoot to set up LMO plants in 15 COVID hospitals including the Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) at Burla.
Mohapatra said the state is supplying oxygen to other needy states after fulfilling its own requirement. There is no question of giving oxygen to others by ignoring the state’s requirement, he said, while rejecting the allegation that some patients in Odisha are denied oxygen.
Meanwhile, BJP state general secretary Prithiviraj Harichandan alleged that oxygen stock has been exhausted at the MKCG Medical College and Hospital, Berhampur and patients died due to the oxygen shortage on Friday night.
However, the Ganjam district administration has rejected the allegation.
Ganjam District Collector VA Kulange wearing a PPE kit visited the MKCG hospital and interacted with Covid patients admitted to the hospital.
He said the allegation of oxygen shortage at the hospital is not true. “There are some rumours about oxygen supply in Covid hospital in MKCG. We have sufficient oxygen supply and the supply chain is monitored in real time,” Kulange said in a twitter post.
The H&FW Department, however, is yet to reveal details of the COVID-19 patients.
Also Read: COVID-19 Outbreak: Odisha First State To Extend Lockdown Till April 30
The department mentioned that 408 samples were tested on April 9, out of which six tested positive for COVID-19.
Currently, the cumulative sample tests stand at 3249 of which 48 have tested positive so far. While the active cases have risen to 45, one person has succumbed to the disease while two have been discharged from hospital.
#Covid19 Case #Odisha
9th April, 2020Total 6 new Cases on 9th April, 2020
Total Positive Cases so far: 48 pic.twitter.com/POhTdshaGP— I & PR Department, Odisha (@IPR_Odisha) April 9, 2020
Earlier on Thursday, the State had reported two coronavirus positive cases which included a 51-year-old female, a resident of Dhenkanal town and a 70-year-old male from Medinipur in West Bengal.
4 more #Coronavirus positive cases in #Odisha: State H&FW #CoronaVirusUpdates #COVID19Pandemic #COVIDー19 #OdishaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/y87aCOZHBV
— OTV (@otvnews) April 9, 2020
Also Read: COVID-19 Not Cricket, Don’t Seek Ball-By-Ball Account: Odisha Govt Tells Media Personnel
According to the department, the man from West Bengal who was brought in ambulance directly from the neighbouring State, is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar.
Travel History of #Covid19 Patients in #Odisha
Case no - 20, 40, 43 and 44
(I&PR Department) pic.twitter.com/V2ZcTRCWCi
— OTV (@otvnews) April 9, 2020
Travel History of #Covid19 Patients in #Odisha
Case no - 4, 5 and 6
(I&PR Department) pic.twitter.com/sp4eAQ2NsK
— OTV (@otvnews) April 9, 2020
It is worthwhile to mention here that Odisha became the first State in the country to extend the lockdown, imposed due to rising cases of COVID-19, for 16 more days till April 30. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik made the announcement following a State Cabinet meeting yesterday.
The railways has set a target of converting 20,000 coaches to counter the pandemic, of which 5,000 coaches with 80,000 beds are ready to be deployed, the ministry said.
"The idea of converting these coaches was to ensure that in rural areas, in regions where medical facilities were not available, care for COVID-19 patients could be provided. The health ministry would guide us and we will deploy these trains. We will maintain them and make sure they are in good condition," an official said.
Read: Fighting COVID-19: Railways To Modify 20000 Coaches Which Can Accommodate 3.2 Lakh Isolation Beds
He also said that if required railways could also provide the linen to be used in such coaches, but they will be for one time use only.
The official also said that the railways is also contemplating how the train, which will be non-air conditioned, can be insulated against the summer heat.
Officials say that there there were discussions within the railways to see if trains like the Lifeline Express can be produced where doctors would take care of all kinds of patients or something like the accident relief trains which are equipped with operation theatre.
However, the ideas were dropped because producing such trains would take more time and it was pointed out that the railway isolation units had been prepared as Level 1 COVID-19 Care Centre facilities.
There will be 10 coaches in each of these trains with the capacity to hold 16 patients in each. Officials say one airconditioned coach could be attached to these trains for doctors and other medical staff.
The death toll due to the novel coronavirus rose to 239 and the number of cases to 7,447 in the country on Saturday, according to the Union Health Ministry.
While the number of active COVID-19 cases is 6,565, as many as 642 people were cured and discharged and one had migrated, it said. As many as 33 new deaths have been reported since Friday evening, the ministry said.
(PTI)
Also Read: COVID-19 Fight: Railways Converts 16 Coaches Into Coronavirus Isolation Wards
The roads were sealed and additional force deployment was made a day after DGP Abhaya visited the border check gates.
The travel history of the four COVID-19 patients released by the state government claimed that all of them had visited Kolkata and returned to Odisha in the first week of April, which indicated that the people could easily cross through the border even it was sealed due to lockdown.
Odisha governments COVID-19 spokesperson Subroto Bagchi said that it was not possible to stop human movement along the border with West Bengal which is 202 km long.
Bagchi said one-third of the state's 83 COVID-19 cases had West Bengal link. "West Bengal link returnees are another challenge for Odisha after Nizamuddin link," he said.
Apart from two main check gates at Laxmannath and Udaypur crossing, there are at least 90 motorable roads to West Bengal through Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts of Odisha. The people stranded in West Bengal used those roads to enter into Odisha, a senior police officer said.
Also Read: Naveen Patnaik Administers Oath To 6798 Sarpanchs To Keep Their Areas Free From COVID-19
While there are 37 such roads through Balasore district, 22 other roads connect Mayurbhanj to West Bengal.
This apart, people used to walk down to Odisha through forest and water bodies crossing the border, the police officer said.
However, following the DGPs instruction and in wake of a hue and cry over the West Bengal returnees testing positive for COVID-19, the police on Wednesday closed 35 of the 37 roads from Balasore side and 22 others from Mayurbhanj side by erecting barricades.
We have also deployed armed forces in certain entry points in order to prevent the entry of anyone into Odisha territory, the officer said, adding that anybody caught trespassing into the state will have to remain in quarantine and to be subjected to coronavirus test before getting released.
The DGP also issued an advisory alerting all Marine Police Stations to be on the lookout for boats attempting to bring persons to Odisha, ADG Railways and Coastal Security Pranabindu Acharya said.
Also Read: COVID-19 Lockdown: SOP For Movement Of Goods, Labour & Vehicle Repair Shops
He said the marine police station personnel have been directed to intensify patrolling and also deploy personnel at landing points in the coast.
(PTI)
The present guidelines are in addition to guidelines on appropriate management of suspect/confirmed cases of Covid-19 issued by the Health Ministry on April 7.
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare issues fresh guidelines for home isolation of suspect/confirmed #COVID19 cases with mild symptoms or those in pre-symptomatic phase#Covid19India #IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/QzrgI5brH6
— OTV (@otvnews) April 28, 2020
All suspected (awaiting test results) and confirmed cases of Covid-19 disease are currently being isolated and managed in a hospital setting with the intent to break the chain of transmission. As per existing guidelines, during the containment phase, the patients should be clinically assigned as very mild/mild, moderate or severe and accordingly admitted to (i) COVID Care Centre, (ii) Dedicated COVID Health Centre or (iii) Dedicated COVID Hospital respectively.
"However, very mild/presymptomatic patients having the requisite facility at his/her residence for self-isolation will have the option for home isolation," the guidelines said.
The eligibility for home isolation is that the person should be clinically assigned as a very mild case/pre-symptomatic case by the treating medical officer. Such cases should have the requisite facility at their residence for self-isolation and also for quarantining the family contacts.
A caregiver should be available to provide care on a 24 x7 basis. A communication link between the caregiver and hospital is a prerequisite for the entire duration of home isolation. The caregiver and all close contacts of such cases should take Hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis as per protocol and as prescribed by the treating medical officer.
As per the guidelines, the patient shall agree to monitor his health and regularly inform his/her health status to the District Surveillance Officer for further follow up by the surveillance teams.
The patient will also fill in an undertaking on self-isolation and shall follow home quarantine guidelines.
The guidelines said that the patient or caregiver will keep monitoring their health and immediate medical attention must be sought if serious signs or symptoms develop. These could include difficulty in breathing, persistent pain/pressure in the chest, mental confusion or inability to arouse, developing bluish discolorations of lips/face and as advised by treating medical officers.
On when to discontinue home isolation, the guidelines said that patients under home isolation will end home isolation if symptoms are clinically resolved and the surveillance medical officer certifies him/her to be free of infection after laboratory testing.
Instructions for care-givers are to wear a triple layer medical mask appropriately when in the same room with the ill person. Hand hygiene must be ensured following contact with an ill person or their immediate environment, as well as before and after preparing food, before eating, after using the toilet, and whenever hands look dirty.
Caregivers have been asked to avoid direct contact with body fluids of the patient, particularly oral or respiratory secretions. Disposable gloves are to be used while handling the patient, and hand hygiene done before and after removing gloves.
They also must avoid exposure to potentially contaminated items in the patient's immediate environment (e.g. avoid·sharing cigarettes, eating utensils, dishes, drinks, used towels, or bed linen).
The patient should at all times use a triple layer medical mask and discard mask after 8 hours of use or earlier if they become wet or visibly soiled.
The patient must stay in the identified room and away from other people in home, especially the elderly, and those with co-morbid conditions like hypertension, cardiovascular disease, renal disease.
The patient must take rest and drink lots of fluids to maintain adequate hydration, and follow respiratory etiquette all the time.
(IANS)
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave emergency use authorization (EUA) for the use of investigational anti-viral Remdesivir in the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
The FDA authorization came after researches, including one led by Indian-American physician Aruna Subramanian, reported Remdesivir shortened the recovery times in people who have fallen ill from the new coronavirus.
I'm pleased to announce that Gilead now has an EUA (emergency use authorization) from the FDA for Remdesivir, US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday.
Trump said that EUA is an important treatment for hospitalized coronavirus patients.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said that this is a significant step forward in battling COVID-19.
The EUA allows for Remdesivir to be distributed in the US and administered intravenously by health care providers, as appropriate, to treat suspected or laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 in adults and children hospitalized with severe condition.
By Friday, over 63,000 Americans have died of the coronavirus and over one million have tested positive with COVID-19.
Trump said that his administration has been doing work with the teams at the FDA, National Institute of Health and Gilead for spearheading this public-private partnership to make this happen very quickly.
I think this really illustrates what can happen in such a short time. For the first case, that was diagnosed in the United States to now, our first step forward with a therapeutic in less than 90 days, said Deborah Birx, a member of the White House Task Force on Coronavirus.
In a statement, Gilead said that the EUA will facilitate broader use of Remdesivir to treat hospitalised patients with severe COVID-19 disease, enabling access to the vaccine at additional hospitals across the country.
Remdesivir is authorized for the treatment of hospitalised patients with severe COVID-19 disease, it said, adding that the optimal duration of treatment is still being studied in ongoing clinical trials.
Under the EUA, both five-day and 10-day treatment durations are suggested, based on the severity of disease. The authorisation is temporary and does not take the place of the formal new drug application submission, review and approval process, Gilead noted.
This EUA opens the way for us to provide emergency use of Remdesivir to more patients with severe symptoms of COVID-19, said Daniel O'Day, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Gilead Sciences.
We will continue to work with partners across the globe to increase our supply of Remdesivir while advancing our ongoing clinical trials to supplement our understanding of the drug's profile. We are working to meet the needs of patients, their families and healthcare workers around the world with the greatest sense of urgency and responsibility, he said.
According to Gilead, the EUA is based on available data from two global clinical trials the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases' placebo-controlled Phase 3 study in patients with moderate to severe symptoms of COVID-19, including those who were critically ill, and Gilead's global Phase 3 study evaluating 5-day and 10-day dosing durations of Remdesivir in patients with severe disease.
Multiple additional clinical trials are ongoing to generate more data on the safety and efficacy of the vaccine as a treatment for COVID-19, it said.
Indian-American Subramanian, MD, Clinical Professor of Medicine, Chief, Immunocompromised Host Infectious Diseases, Stanford University School of Medicine, is one of the lead investigators of the study.
Earlier in an interview to Fox news, Subramanian said that there's a lot more work to be done in terms of exactly who should get this drug, what is the best timing, who is at highest risk for having complications And what can we add to this or what can we improve upon this to make outcomes even better.
This (remdesivir) is a direct-acting antiviral. It has been shown to have great promise in the lab and in animal models and for the first time now in human clinical trials, Subramanian told Fox News.
We know that so far, it's been very safe and tolerable. We've had good clinical outcomes and yesterday we found that compared to placebo, that is people who are given no medication, people do much better, she said.
FDA Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn said, today's action is an important step in our efforts to collaborate with innovators and researchers to provide sick patients timely access to new therapies where appropriate, while at the same time supporting research to further evaluate whether they are safe and effective.
(IANS)
The mortality rate for COVID-19 in the US is 5.8 per cent, according to the World Health Organisation.
"Our findings emphasise the need to prevent cancer patients from contracting COVID-19 and - if they do - to identify and closely monitor these individuals for dangerous symptoms," said study co-lead author Vikas Mehta from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the US.
For the study, published in the journal Cancer Discovery, the research team involved 218 cancer patients who tested positive for COVID-19 from March 18 to April 8 at Montefiore Medical Centre in New York City.
A total of 61 cancer patients died from COVID-19, a dramatically high case-fatality rate of 28 per cent.
According to the researchers, a key element is that mortality appears to be more closely related to frailty, age, and co-morbidities than to active therapy for cancer.
"Our data suggest that we should not stop lifesaving cancer therapies, but rather develop strategies to minimize potential COVID-19 exposures and re-evaluate therapies for our most vulnerable cancer populations," explained co-senior author Amit Verma.
As a group, COVID-19 patients with hematologic (blood) cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma, had the highest mortality rate: 37 per cent (20 of 54 patients), the study said.
For patients with solid malignancies, the mortality rate was 25 per cent (41 of 164).
Striking differences were observed among specific solid cancers: the mortality rate for patients with lung cancer was 55 per cent and colorectal cancer was 38 per cent, compared with mortality rates of 14 per cent for breast cancer and 20 per cent for prostate cancer.
Certain underlying conditions--older age, hypertension, heart disease, and chronic lung disease--were significantly associated with increased mortality among cancer patients with COVID-19, the researchers said.
A detailed analysis of patients with cancer who died from COVID-19 shows that more than half of these individuals--37 of 61--had been in places with a higher risk of exposure to COVID-19, such as nursing homes, hospitals or emergency departments within the 30 days before being diagnosed with COVID-19.
According to the Johns Hopkins University tracker, the US currently accounts for the highest number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the world at 1,103,781 and 65,068, respectively.
(IANS)
Most of these patients are also experiencing a loss of the sense of taste, said a researcher from University of Cincinnati.
The study also found that younger patients and women were also more likely to experience a decreased loss of smell.
"We also found that the severity of the loss of smell is correlated with how bad your other COVID-19 symptoms will be. If the anosmia, also known as loss of smell, is worse, the patients reported worse shortness of breath and more severe fever and cough," said Ahmad Sedaghat, associate professor in the UC College of Medicine's Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
The study examined the characteristics and symptoms of 103 patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 over a six-week period at Kantonsspital Aarau in Aarau, Switzerland.
Patients were asked how many days they had COVID-19 symptoms and also asked to describe the timing and severity of the loss or reduced sense of smell along with other symptoms.
At least 61 per cent of the patients reported reduced or lost sense of smell, said Sedaghat.
The mean onset for reduction or loss in the sense of smell was 3.4 days.
"The relationship between decreased sense of smell and the rest of the COVID-19 is something to be aware of. If someone has a decreased sense of smell with COVID-19 we know they are within the first week of the disease course and there is still another week or two to expect," suggested Sedaghat.
Sedaghat said the experimental antiviral drug, remdesivir, developed by Gilead Sciences to initially treat Ebola, is showing some promise in treating COVID-19 patients.
"Antiviral medications have historically worked best when given early during a viral infection. The same is hypothesized to be true for remdesivir," said Sedaghat.
"Once remdesivir becomes more widely available, decreased sense of smell may, therefore, identify patients who would be excellent candidates for the medication," said the study available online in the scholarly journal Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
The loss of smell is an indicator of COVID-19 but it's not the only factor.
‘When you start to experience serious symptoms of COVID-19 which include shortness of breath and respiratory distress, that's when you should become alarmed," he added.
(IAN)
COVID-19 patients from over 10 leading government and private hospitals in India are being enrolled for the study.
The trial completion and study results are expected by July-August this year. Glenmark was the first pharmaceutical company in India to be given approval by the regulator to conduct Phase 3 clinical trials in India on Favipiravir antiviral tablets for COVID -19 patients.
Favipiravir is a generic version of Avigan of Fujifilm Toyama Chemical Co. Ltd., Japan, a subsidiary of Fujifilm Corporation.
Clinical trials have commenced and over 10 leading government & private hospitals in India are being enrolled for the study. Glenmark estimates study completion by July/August 2020.
Glenmark has successfully developed the API and the formulations for the product through its in-house R&D team.
Favipiravir has demonstrated activity against influenza viruses and has been approved in Japan for the treatment of novel influenza virus infections. The molecule if commercialized will be marketed under the brand name 'FabiFlu' in India.
Commenting on this development, Monika Tandon, Vice President & Head, Clinical Development, Global Specialty/Branded Portfolio, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd., said, "Several health and medical experts, both in and outside of Glenmark are eager to see the effect that Favipiravir has on COVID-19 cases. We believe the study results will be significant as there is currently no effective treatment for the virus." She added, "The data we get from these trials will point us in a clearer direction with regard to COVID-19 treatment and management."
Sujesh Vasudevan, President, India Formulations, Middle East and Africa, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd. mentioned "Our effort is to launch a treatment for COVID-19 patients as soon as possible and control the spread of the pandemic. We will do all it takes to ensure the accessibility of the product across the country if the clinical trials are successful."
Glenmark was the first pharmaceutical company in India to be given approval by the regulator to start the trial on COVID-19 patients in India.
As per the approved clinical trial protocol, 150 subjects with mild to moderate COVID-19 will be randomized in the study in a 1:1 ratio to Favipiravir with standard supportive care or standalone standard supportive care. Treatment duration is a maximum of 14 days and the total study duration will be a maximum of 28 days from randomization.
(IANS)
Hypertensive individuals and increased age are high-risk factors for Covid-19 infection, said Dr Shiva Raju, Senior Consultant Physician and Diabetologist, KIMS Hospitals, Secunderabad. He advised such individuals to remain at home, take regular medication for blood pressure, closely monitor BP level at home and ensure a low salt diet - less than 3 grams per day.
Such individuals should also avoid taking more than two coffees per day, avoid alcohol intake and pain killers.
A study shows six per cent of those died of Covid-19 were patients with known hypertension and associated diabetes. The Covid-19 mortality rate for normal patients is two per cent. Patients who are taking ACE inhibitors and ARB may have a higher risk of Covid-19 infection but the evidence is inconclusive.
Dr Meeraji Rao, Senior Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, Continental Hospitals, Hyderabad, believes that inactive daily routines due to the ongoing lockdown could result in dangerous health conditions, even before the pandemic hits the individual.
It is important that every individual with possible underlying health ailments, take daily readings of blood pressure as this will help monitor fluctuations. A close watch on blood pressure and diabetes levels will help in creating a lifestyle that is best suited to stay healthy.
"During normal days, an individual moves around and has an active life; but it is important for people to stay active and healthy even under lockdown. It is strongly advised that people exercise at least for 2-3 hours every week to ensure their metabolism functions well, and they remain healthy," he said
The doctor said patients already suffering from hypertension can continue with their earlier medications even during this pandemic while those who have developed high blood pressure during these times must seek expert opinion when it comes to ACE inhibitors and ARB medicines.
"Stress is one major reason people tend to develop hypertension, and the risk of this condition is higher in these times of pandemic and associated lockdown. It is strongly advised that people maintain a healthy sleep cycle to help beat health risks. Hypertension patients need not do vigorous exercise, but can ensure they stay healthy by doing brisk walking for 30 to 60 minutes each day."
"Hyper Tension.... the word itself explains one of the major cause for it. This is nothing but a condition where one's blood pressure is beyond 120/80," explained Dr Saji D'Souza, Chairman and Managing Director, KSAC Group of Hospitals.
Almost every individual will have raised BP due to many factors including loss of elasticity of arteries and veins, atherosclerosis wherein the arteries are blocked with salts/cholesterol etc and stress-induced.
A person who has unpredictable variations and the level of BP going beyond 180/120 need to take medical advice as this might invite stroke, cardiac arrest or even death.
He pointed out that Ayurveda suggests a balanced diet and exercise. Proper excretory and blood circulatory systems keep the body away from not only hypertension but also other diseases. Ayurveda emphasises on good food, exercise and sound sleep for the perfect harmony on one's own health, he added.
(IANS)
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The COVID-19 recovered persons are from Ganjam (30), Jajpur (18), Khurda (3) and Keonjhar (2).
53 #Covid19 patients recover in #Odisha
30 are from Ganjam,
18 from Jajpur,
3 from Khurda
2 from Keonjhar.The total recovered cases in State now stand at 550
(H&FW Dept) pic.twitter.com/afQscKRIv0
— OTV (@otvnews) May 24, 2020
With this, the total recovery cases in Ganjam has reached 233. The district, which has so far reported 349 positive cases (highest positive cases of SARS-nCoV in Odisha), has now 113 active cases.
Jajpur now tops the COVID-19 chart in active cases in the State with 149 active patients.
As many as 61 Covid-19 patients in the State recovered from the disease on Saturday with Ganjam reporting the highest number of recovery cases, 41.
While Balasore and Sundergarh reported 15 and two recoveries respectively, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj and Bhadrak districts reported one recovered case each.
On the other hand, Odisha reported 66 new COVID-19 cases, taking the State’s tally to 1335 on Sunday. Nuapada and Bargarh reported maiden cases (one each) of COVID-19.
Out of the total 66 new COVID-19 cases, 59 were from quarantine centres, 4 from home quarantine and three local cases.
As many as 16 COVID-19 cases were reported from Puri, 13 from Nayagarh, eight from Ganjam, seven from Bolangir, five from Angul, four from Sundergarh, three from Khurda, two each from Kalahandi, Cuttack and Malkangiri, and one case each from Jagatsinghpur (reported yesterday), Dhenkanal, Nuapada and Bargarh.
Ganjam district has so far reported 349 COVID-19 cases, followed by 239 in Jajpur, 128 in Balasore, 98 in Bhadrak, 81 in Puri,77 in Khurda, 59 in Cuttack, 45 in Nayagarh, 40 in Kendrapara, 37 in Sundergarh, 33 in Boudh, 31 in Jagatsinghpur and 24 in Angul.
Also Read: Surat Factories Reopen, But Its Workers Are In Odisha, Unwilling To Return
Read More: COVID19 Lockdown: Parks Reopen In Bhubaneswar, Masks Mandatory For Visitors
The ICMR's statement came against the backdrop of the World Health Organization (WHO) suspending the testing of the drug in COVID-19 patients temporarily in its global study following safety concerns.
"The COVID-19 is an evolving field and we do not know which drug is working and which is not working. A lot of drugs are being repurposed for COVID-19, whether for prophylaxis or for treatment of COVID-19.
"We found there were no major side effects except for nausea, vomiting, palpitation occasionally. Hence in our advisory, we have recommended that it should be continued for prophylaxis as there is no harm. A benefit may be there," ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava said.
He said it has been "clearly advised that HCQ should be taken with food, not on empty stomach".
"We also emphasized that one ECG should be done during the treatment. We expanded use of HCQ from healthcare workers to front-line workers also, considering the potential benefits," he added.
Bhargava was addressing a press conference on the COVID-19 situation in the country where he mentioned that the ICMR has upscaled the testing facilities and over one lakh persons are being tested every day.
Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health, said the recovery rate for COVID-19 cases in the country has seen an upwards trend.
The recovery rate in the country continues to improve and is presently 41.61 per cent. The COVID-19 fatality rate has reduced from 3.3 per cent on April 15 to 2.87 per cent which is among the lowest in the world," he said.
(PTI)
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Apart from the Indian firms, 18 other companies, including eight American and three Brazilian, have been selected to manufacture the critical breathing devices.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which is an independent agency for space research, aeronautics and related programmes in the US, developed the ventilator specifically for coronavirus patients at its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JLP) in Southern California.
The JPL engineers designed the special ventilator -- called VITAL -- in little over a month and received 'Emergency Use Authorization' from the Food and Drug Administration on April 30.
The VITAL (Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally) equipment uses one-seventh the parts of a traditional ventilator, relying on parts already available in supply chains, the space organisation said.
This high-pressure ventilator offers a simple, affordable option for treating critical patients while freeing up traditional ventilators for those with the most severe COVID-19 symptoms. Its flexible design means it also can be modified for use in field hospitals, the NASA statement read.
"The VITAL team is very excited to see their technology licenced," said Leon Alkalai, manager of the JPL Office of Strategic Partnerships.
"Our hope is to have this technology reach across the world and provide an additional source of solutions to deal with the on-going COVID-19 crisis," he said.
NASA said VITAL was developed with input from doctors and medical device manufacturers.
A prototype of the JPL device was successfully tested by the Human Simulation Lab in the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine at Mount Sinai on April 23.
A modified design, which uses compressed air and can be deployed by a greater range of hospitals, was recently tested at the UCLA Simulation Center in Los Angeles.
A high-fidelity lung simulator tested almost 20 different ventilator settings, representing a number of scenarios that could be seen in critically ill patients in an intensive care unit, it said.
"VITAL performed well in simulation testing with both precise and reproducible results," said Dr Tisha Wang, clinical chief of the UCLA Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.
"In addition, the setup and operation of the ventilator was quick and user-friendly. The UCLA team commends JPL for actively contributing to the COVID-19 response and successfully addressing one of the key medical needs in the sickest group of patients," a media statement said.
The coronavirus, which first emerged in China's Wuhan city, has claimed 1,02,836 lives in the US, with over 1.7 million confirmed cases so far. The global death toll has crossed 3,50,000.
(PTI)
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The draft New Drugs and Clinical Trials (Amendment) Rules stipulate manufacture and import of unapproved drugs based on a prescription by a hospital or medical institution
According to a gazette notification of the draft rules published on June 5, a hospital or medical institution may import new drug for "compassionate use for treatment of patients suffering from life threatening disease or disease causing serious permanent disability or disease requiring therapy for unmet medical need", which has not been permitted in the country, but under Phase-III clinical trial (human trial) in the country or abroad, by making an application to the Central Drug Regulator.
Also, if any hospital prescribes a new drug for the same purposes then they may be approved to be manufactured in a limited quantity subject to provisions of the rules.
The manufacturer intending to manufacture a new drug will have to obtain the consent in writing from the patient to whom the medicine has been prescribed or his legal heirs and make an application to the Ethics Committee of the hospital or medical institution for obtaining its specific recommendation for manufacture of such new drug.
After obtaining the recommendation of the Ethics Committee, the manufacturer shall make an application to obtain the permission, to the Central Licensing Authority for manufacturing the new drug for the purpose of compassionate use, the draft rules stated.
"The manufacturer to whom the permission is granted shall make use of the new drug only for the purposes specified in the permission and no part of it shall be sold in the market or supplied to any other person, agency, institution or place," it stated.
The new draft rules will be applicable for 15 days during which people can send their objections and suggestions to be considered by the Central Government after which the final amended rules will be published in the gazette of India.
The set of new rules have been inserted under section 96 which deals with filing an application, granting the license to the importer or manufacturer, conditions and suspension of such licenses among others.
For both manufacturing and importing, the licence shall remain valid for a period of one year from the date it has been issued.
If an importer or the manufacturer to whom the license is granted fails to comply with any provision of the Act and these rules, the Central Licensing Authority, may, after giving an opportunity of being heard, suspend or cancel the license for such period as considered appropriate either wholly or in respect of some of the substances to which the violation relates.
The quantity of any new drug manufactured or imported on the basis of permission granted shall not exceed one hundred average dosages per patient, the draft rules stated.
But in exceptional circumstances on the basis of the prescription of the medical officer and the recommendation of the Ethics Committee, the Central Licensing Authority may allow the manufacture of such new drug in larger quantity.
In both cases, for import or indigenous manufacturing, the application should have details including rationale for the use of the new drug as compassionate use over the available therapeutic options, the criteria for patient selection with description of the patient's disease or condition and the method of administration of the drug, dose, and duration of therapy.
It should also mention the description of the manufacturing facility and a description of clinical procedures, laboratory tests, or other monitoring necessary to evaluate the effects of the drug and minimize its risks among others.
Several drugs across the country are in phase III clinical trials phase for COVID-19. Anti-viral drug Remdesivir, last week, was approved for "restricted emergency use" on severe COVID-19 patients.
India's drug regulator granted US pharma giant Gilead Sciences marketing authorisation for the drug for "restricted emergency use" on hospitalised COVID-19 in view of the crisis posed by the pandemic.
(PTI)
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Of the recoveries reported today, 11 are from Kendrapara, 9 from Ganjam, 16 from Jajpur, 13 from Khurda, 8 Deogarh, 7 each from Cuttack and Jagatsinghpur, 6 each from Balasore, Bargarh and Bolangir, 4 Keonjhar, 3 Nayagarh and 1 each from Koraput, Sambalpur and Sundergarh.
#COVID19 recoveries near 2000 mark in #Odisha as 99 more patients recover
16 from Jajpur
13-Khurda
11-Kendrapara
9 -Ganjam
8 -Deogarh
7 each from Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur
6 from Balasore, Bargarh, Bolangir
4 -Keonjhar
3 -Nayagarh
1 each from Koraput, Sambalpur, Sundergarh— OTV (@otvnews) June 8, 2020
On the other hand, 138 new Covid-19 positive cases were detected in the last 24 hours in the State. The total number of coronavirus cases in Odisha has now rose to 2994.
As per the State Information and Public Relations Department, of the 138 cases reported from 18 districts today, 125 were in quarantine while 13 of them are local contacts.
On Sunday, Odisha reported its highest single-day COVID-19 recoveries as 178 patients recovered and discharged.
Also Read: Odisha Reports 138 New Covid-19 Cases, State Tally Nears 3000-Mark
That is why those who are in close contact with the COVID-19 patients have to wear protective gear such as PPE Kits, face masks, and gloves. These gears can protect the doctors, nurses, and even close relatives from the infection. But if they do not remove or dispose of them off properly and with great care, it can lead to the spread of the coronavirus.
What Are PPE’s?
PPE’s or Personal Protective Equipments are protective gear that safeguards caregivers and healthcare workers by reducing their exposure to the deadly virus. The components of the PPE kit include face-shields, goggles, gloves, masks, gowns/coverall, shoe cover, and headcover. Naturally one has to take care of sanitizing hands while putting them on. But it is equally important to dispose of them properly.
Improperly disposed of PPE’s that have been found thrown near trash counters on roads has been the cause of spreading coronavirus in some cases. That is why proper care must be taken while disposing of all the components of a PPE kit.
Disposing PPE Components As Advised By WHO
According to WHO you should clean hands with a sanitizer or alcohol-based soap/hand-rub and water before putting on the PPE ensemble. Make sure that your nose and mouth are completely covered and there are no gaps between the mask and your face. Most important thing is to replace the mask as soon as it becomes damp. Remove it from the back gently so that the solid and liquid contaminants on the mask are not disturbed.
Use a closed bin for discarding mask and immediately wash hands with soap water which contains 60% alcohol and rub the hands for a minimum of 20 seconds before putting on a new mask.
The masks and all the components of PPE’s that are used in isolation or quarantine facilities or hospitals come under medical waste and hence should be decontaminated and incinerated. For that, they must be exposed to high temperatures at the facilities dedicated to such processes. Single-used masks should not be thrown on the road. Those with sputum and cough secretions can be extremely infectious and can cause infection to garbage collectors and others who come in contact with them.
Instead, such components should be disposed of in a separate container and sent to incineration plants. The government bodies have now become quite aware of the importance of disposing of the PPE components properly and hence it has been trying to increase incineration facilities in all the cities. By getting in touch with your corporator or local NGO’s you can get detailed information about such plants in your city and accordingly arrange for proper disposal of used PPE components.
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The study of 20,000 hospitalised patients with Covid-19, published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings, suggests that giving blood plasma to people early in the disease may be beneficial.
"Our efforts to understand convalescent plasma continue. We're optimistic but must remain objective as we assess increasing amounts of data," said study lead author Michael Joyner from the Mayo Clinic in the US.
The safety report assessed the seven days following transfusion for hospitalised patients between April 3 and June 11 who were deemed at risk of progressing to a severe or life-threatening condition.
The findings showed that Seven-day mortality rates declined to 8.6 per cent compared to 12 per cent in a previous safety study of the first 5,000 transfused patients. Serious adverse events continued to be less than one per cent. This expanded safety report reveals a decline in mortality which appears contemporary with the more rapid availability of plasma for use, but the authors caution that this alone does not provide any evidence on the effectiveness of convalescent plasma for treating Covid-19.
Given the accelerating use of the therapy, research is now broadening its focus to determine indicators of efficacy. At this time, convalescent plasma therapy is the only antibody-based therapy for Covid-19.The researchers said that while the mortality rate has decreased, the patients in the latter part of this study were less critically ill.
They also said the decrease may be in part due to improved medical care based on increased knowledge during the pandemic and that more of the patients received the plasma earlier in their hospital treatment.
The research team noted that there was no system in place for delivering convalescent plasma in March and now there is sufficient donation to meet most of the demand.Also, as donors came forward more rapidly, it was more likely their plasma contained neutralising antibodies, they wrote.
As of Friday morning, the overall number of global Covid-19 cases has topped to over 8.4 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 453,000. With 2,189,128 cases and 118,421 deaths, the US continues with the world's highest number of Covid-19 infections and fatalities, according to the Johns Hopkins University.
(IANS)
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According to the Health department, highest 99 patients have recovered from Ganjam, 56 from Gajapati, 33 from Jharsuguda, 16 each from Cuttack and Nabarangpur, 15 from Balasore, 11 from Sambalpur and 10 from Khurda districts.
Similarly, 8 patients recuperated in Mayurbhanj while 6 each recovered from Keonjhar and Puri, 5 from Jagatsinghpur, 3 from Nayagarh, 2 each from Bargarh and Koraput and 1 each from Jajpur and Sundergarh districts.
With this, the total recovered cases of the State now stand at 6224.
#BREAKING#Odisha reports record high recovery of 290 #COVID19 patients in a day. Total recoveries in the State rise to 6224. pic.twitter.com/6GJ5u0w4Ku
— OTV (@otvnews) July 5, 2020
Odisha today recorded 469 new COVID-19 cases, taking the State’s tally to 9070. The COVID-19 death toll in the State also rose to 36 with two more persons succumbing to the disease.
The deaths were reported from Gajapati and Sundergarh districts. One more non-COVID death was also reported from the State today.
Of the 469 new cases, highest 116 cases were reported from Ganjam, followed by 94 cases from Cuttack, 66 cases from Sundergarh and 27 from Khurda districts. Besides, four NDRF personnel, who returned from Cyclone Amphan duty in West Bengal, also tested positive for the virus.
Of the total 469 positive cases, 152 are local contacts while 317 cases reported from quarantine centres. Ganjam reports highest 116 cases followed by 94 in Cuttack
Here's district-wise breakup of new positive cases pic.twitter.com/4G6n15iylc
— OTV (@otvnews) July 5, 2020
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While the health ministry is reviewing the guidelines on the usage of the drug following the adverse reports, states and union territories are also being asked to orient doctors on the protocols of Remdesivir use and not to prescribe it indiscriminately.
To prevent black-marketing and overcharging of the drug, India's drug regulator Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has asked manufacturers to set up a helpline where the patients or their family members can contact in case the drug is not available in the market and also put on their websites details of distributors and supply chain.
"AIIMS specialists tasked by the Centre to provide expert guidance are advising doctors in state hospitals to use the drug as mentioned in the protocols stating it has been approved for restricted emergency use purposes in moderate to severe cases of COVID-19 subject to a set of conditions under 'investigational therapies' and not as a mainstream treatment," a source said.
Remdesivir has been included as an "investigational therapy" in the clinical management protocols for COVID-19 based on the limited available evidence at present.
"The drug is being increasingly prescribed in the absence of any proven treatment leading to a rise in demand. But then the data derived from the studies so far suggest that its use can cut down the duration of the hospital stay and does not have any effect on the mortality," an official explained.
Responding to a question on whether Remdesivir will be dropped from COVID-19 treatment protocols after its negative impact on the liver has been indicated, a senior Union Health Ministry official during a briefing on Thursday had said that they are aware of few studies which have indicated some adverse events.
"We are aware of this and within the ministry also there is a technical group of domain knowledge experts headed by DGHS that is looking into the evidence as it comes up.
"If there is a requirement to modify or refine our clinical treatment protocols we will definitely do it," Rajesh Bhushan, Officer on Special Duty in the Union Health Ministry, said.
He also said that the DCGI has written letters to companies manufacturing them with two specific suggestions to prevent the blackmarketing and overpricing of the drug.
"First suggestion was that these companies must put in place a 24x7 helpline where the patients or their family members could contact in case the drug is not available in the market or is being overcharged.
"Second suggestion given was that they must proactively put on their website the details of their distributors and their supply lines so that all confusion and anxiety in the market subside," Bhushan elaborated.
In addition, he said, the DCGI has also directed state governments to instruct drug inspectors to ensure that there is no black marketing of drugs which is being used in treatment of COVID-19 patients.
Three companies, Hetero, Cipla and Mylan have been given permission by India's drug regulator to manufacture and market the anti-viral drug remdesivir for "restricted emergency use" on hospitalised COVID-19 patients.
Written informed consent of each patient is required before the use of the drug while active post-marketing surveillance data and reporting of serious adverse events have to be submitted.
In the letters, Bhushan mentioned, DCGI told these firms to upload the information on their websites regarding the distributors and supply chain details along with quantities where Remdesivir has been made available, so as to prevent black marketing and overcharging of the drug.
Considering the emergency and unmet medical need for COVID-19 disease, the drug controller said, the CDSCO has granted permission to companies to manufacture and market Remdesivir injectable formulation for restricted emergency use for the treatment of patients with severe COVID-19 infection subject to various conditions and restrictions.
"This office has received representation raising concerns regarding black-marketing and overcharging of the drug Remdesivir injectable formulation in the country," the DGCI wrote.
(PTI)
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A notification in this regard was issued by the state health and family welfare department during the day, and the directives came into force with immediate effect, a senior official here said.
"All private hospitals having bed strength of 30 or above, located in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Berhampur and Rourkela Municipal Corporation limits shall mandatorily designate minimum 50 per cent of their general beds and 80 percent of ICUs for treatment of COVID positive patients, with an option to convert the centre hospital as a COVID hospital," the notification said.
It further asked the hospitals to strictly abide by the rate chart prepared by the government for the various facilities and services provided by them.
Official sources said that the decision was taken in view of the spike in coronavirus cases, which climbed to 1,55,005 on Monday.
"An estimation made by experts indicates that Odisha's caseload is likely to cross the two-lakh mark by the end of September," the senior official said.
Meanwhile, in a related development, the government has asked all district collectors and commissioners to shut those COVID care centres (CCCs), COVID Care Homes (CCHs) and Temporary Medical Centres (TMCs) which have zero occupancy.
The state government had opened the TMCs in all the gram panchayats of Odisha to isolate the migrant workers, following their return from different states.
As the migrant influx has stopped, there was no need to operate the TMCs any longer, the official said.
Similarly, CCCs and CCHs are also witnessing zero occupancy as the government has allowed home isolation.
Additional Chief Secretary PK Mohapatra, in his letter to collectors and municipal corporation commissioners, said, "CCCs should be closed if there is no patient, or operations might be scaled down in case of low occupancy."
The health personnel, engaged in these centres, can be redeployed in districts, where their services will be better utilized, Mohapatra added.
(PTI)
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“The infection may return if the Covid-19 patient has low immunity. But there is hardly any chance of reinfection if the patient has a good immunity. Even the infected persons with high immunity are often found to be asymptomatic,”.
“If mild symptoms among persons with comorbidities and health workers are found, they should test immediately. Other asymptomatic patients should be treated in home quarantine,” Routray said.
Meanwhile, the State government's technical spokesperson on COVID-19, Jayant Panda cautioned that the Covid-19 patients getting treatment in home quarantine should be extremely careful. “They should always wear masks and wash their cloths and dishes regularly with soap to save their family members from getting infected by the virus,” said Panda.
He also cautioned pregnant women and children to be treated in Covid care centres if they get infected. "Home Isolation for COVID-19 patients with history of hypertension, chronic lung disease, diabetes and cardiovascular disease among others is not advisable. They should be treated in COVID hospital," he added.
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The findings, presented at the 29th Congress of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, point to another burden experienced by so-called "long haulers" who get better but don't seem to fully recover from Covid-19.
"Our findings reveal a previously unreported subset of patients with long-standing skin symptoms from Covid-19, in particular those with Covid toes," said study author Esther E Freeman from Massachusetts General Hospital in the US.
"This data adds to our knowledge about the long-term effects of Covid-19 in different organ systems. The skin is potentially a visible window into inflammation that could be going on in the body," Freeman added.
For the analysis, researchers established an international registry for Covid-19 skin manifestations in April 2020, in collaboration with the International League of Dermatological Societies and the American Academy of Dermatology.
Clinicians were contacted in June and August to update Covid-19 laboratory test results and the duration of patients' Covid-19 skin symptoms.
The team defined long haulers as anyone with skin symptoms of Covid-19 that persisted for at least 60 days.
The team evaluated almost 1,000 cases of patients with skin manifestations of Covid-19.
Among 224 total suspected cases and 90 laboratory-confirmed cases of Covid-19 from 39 countries with information on symptom duration, the median duration of symptoms was 12 days.
According to the study, rash-like morbilliform and urticarial eruptions lasted a median of seven days and four days, respectively, for patients with lab-confirmed Covid-19, with a maximum duration of 28 days.
Papulosquamous eruptions, which are scaly papules and plaques, lasted a median of 20 days in lab-confirmed cases, with one confirmed long hauler eruption lasting 70 days.
The findings revealed Pernio/chilblains, or redness and swelling of the feet and hands, commonly known as "Covid toes," lasted a median of 15 days in patients with suspected Covid-19 and 10 days in lab-confirmed cases.
Notably, six patients with pernio/chilblains were long haulers with toe symptoms lasting at least 60 days, with two lab-confirmed patients with Covid- toes lasting longer than 130 days.
"We encourage clinicians taking care of patients with Covid-19 to ask about and evaluate any skin symptoms," the study authors wrote.
(IANS)
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The study, presented at the International Stroke Conference 2021, showed that 1.4 per cent in the Covid-19 Cardiovascular Disease Registry had a stroke confirmed by diagnostic imaging during hospitalisation.
Of these, 52.7 per cent experienced ischemic stroke; 2.5 per cent had transient ischemic attack (TIA); and 45.2 per cent experienced a bleeding stroke or unspecified type of stroke.
"These findings suggest that Covid-19 may increase the risk of stroke, though the exact mechanism for this is still unknown," said lead author Saate S. Shakil of the University of Washington.
"As the pandemic continues, we are finding that coronavirus is not just a respiratory illness, but a vascular disease that can affect many organ systems," Shakil added.
For the study, the team accessed the American Heart Association's Covid-19 CVD Registry that included more than 20,000 patients hospitalised with Covid-19 across the US.
The analysis also found those with any type of stroke were more likely to be male and older (average age 65) than patients without stroke. Most of the ischemic stroke patients had high blood pressure compared to patients without stroke.
"Stroke on its own can have devastating consequences and recovering from Covid-19 is often a difficult path for those who survive. Together, they can exact a significant toll on patients who have had both conditions," Shakil said.
"It is more important than ever that we curb the spread of Covid-19 via public health interventions and widespread vaccine distribution," Shakil added.
Covid-19 patients had a 40 per cent to 60 per cent higher risk of ending up back in the hospital or dying in the first 10 days, compared with similar patients treated at the same hospitals during the same months for heart failure or pneumonia.
By the end of 60 days, the Covid-19 patients' overall risk of readmission or death was lower than that for the other two serious conditions, the findings, published in the journal JAMA, reported.
Even so, in the first two months, nine per cent of the Covid-19 patients, who survived hospitalization had died, and almost 20 per cent had suffered a setback that sent them back to the hospital.
That's on top of the 18.5 per cent who had died during their hospitalization.
"By comparing Covid-19 patients' long-term outcomes with those of other seriously ill patients, we see a pattern of even greater-than-usual risk right in the first one to two weeks, which can be a risky period for anyone," said the study author from the University of Michigan in the US.
The most common reasons listed for rehospitalization were Covid-19, cited in 30 per cent of patients, and sepsis seen in 8.5 per cent. More than 22 per cent of the readmitted veterans went to the intensive care unit.
"Unfortunately, this is yet more evidence that Covid-19 is not 'one and done.' For many patients, Covid-19 seems to set off cascades of problems that are every bit as serious as those we see in other diseases," the team wrote.
The research team hopes to continue to study new data from Veterans Affairs (VA) and non-VA hospitals as it becomes available and to compare Covid-19 post-hospital outcomes with those for other serious conditions.
"Comparisons with patients hospitalized for influenza and other viral illnesses would be important to study, given the widespread false claims that Covid-19 is just a minor illness," they noted.
(With IANS Inputs)
The study, published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, evaluated nearly 67,000 hospitalised Covid-19 patients in 613 hospitals across the country to determine the link between certain common patient characteristics and the risk of dying from Covid-19.
Their analysis found that men had a 30 per cent higher risk of dying compared to women of the same age and health status.
"Hospitalised patients who were obese, had hypertension or poorly managed diabetes had a higher risk of dying compared to those who did not have these conditions," said study authors from the University of Maryland in the US.
Those aged 20 to 39 with these conditions had the biggest difference in their risk of dying compared to their healthier peers.
"Predicting which hospitalized Covid-19 patients have the highest risk of dying has taken on urgent importance as cases and hospitalizations in the US continue to surge to record high numbers during the month of December," said study author Anthony D Harris.
According to the researchers, age remained the strongest predictor of mortality from Covid-19.
Overall, nearly 19 per cent of hospitalised COVID-19 patients died from their infection with the lowest mortality among pediatric patients, which was less than two per cent.
Mortality rates increased with each decade of life with the highest mortality, 34 per cent, among those aged 80 and older.
"Older patients still have the highest risk of dying, but younger patients with obesity or hypertension have the highest risk of dying relative to other patients their age without these conditions," said study lead author Katherine E Goodman from the University of Maryland
"Doctors may want to be paying extra attention to these younger patients when they're hospitalized to ensure they detect any complications quickly," Goodman added.
The researchers also found some good news in their study findings. Death rates among hospitalized patients have fallen dramatically since the early weeks of the pandemic in April.
"This is likely due to the availability of new treatments and more knowledge in the medical community on how to properly manage and care for hospitalised patients," the authors noted.
(With IANS Inputs)